April 12, 2002
Box Score
WACO, Texas - Ross Bennett singled to left-center, scoring Chris Durbin in the bottom of the ninth as 17th-ranked Baylor edged Texas A&M-Corpus Christi here Friday night, 6-5.
Baylor (25-12) struggled all night against Islander starter Jimmy Hamon (5-5), who went the distance for A&M-Corpus Christi (16-23) in the loss. Hamon threw 165 pitches on the night, striking out seven but allowing 12 hits and six walks in his 8 1/3 innings
Kyle Edens (4-4) picked up the win for Baylor. Edens relieved Paul Thorp midway through the eighth inning, and although he gave up a game-tying base hit, Edens managed to strike out the side in the ninth to keep the game deadlocked at 5-5.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Durbin hit a screamer towards A&M-Corpus third baseman Jaime Landon that ricocheted off Landon. Durbin took second base after the ball trickled down the left field line for a double. After an intentional walk to Mike Huggins, Bennett hit a rope over the shortstop's head. When Islander left fielder Angel Velazquez bobbled the ball, Durbin scored easily with the winning run.
Baylor picked up its eighth last at-bat win of the season and fifth walk-off victory. The Bears have won 17 of 20 games at home this season.
Baylor got on the board in the first when Trey Webb stole third and advanced home after an errant throw from Islander catcher Blair Bourque, giving Baylor a 1-0 lead.
A&M-Corpus Christi evened the score at 1-1 in the fourth, but Baylor got the lead right back in their half of the fourth. Bennett led off the frame with his third home run of the year, and Michael Griffin followed with his team-leading sixth homer of the season. The pair of long balls marked the first time this year two Bears have hit back-to-back home runs.
A&M-Corpus Christi closed the gap to 3-2 in the sixth when Rene Chavez smashed a Thorp delivery over the fence in right.
Baylor got two more runs in the seventh when Mike Huggins lined a single to center, plating Paul Richmond and Durbin, but the Islanders clawed their way back in the eighth off of Edens. The senior from San Antonio took over for Thorp with the bases loaded, and after Edens walked the first batter he faced, Islander shortstop Roberto Santana singled to drive in two runs and tie the game at 5-5, setting the stage for Baylor's ninth-inning heroics.
Steven White started the game for Baylor, and although he walked five and gave up six hits, the Islanders managed only one run in four innings of work.
Friday night's victory was the Bears' fourth straight win. Baylor has now won 15 of their last 17 non-conference games.
The Bears continue the three-game set with A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday at Baylor Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
