April 28, 2002

Final Stats

Manhattan, Kan. - Baylor true freshman Sean Walker, making his first appearance in a Big 12 Conference game, induced Kansas State's Ty Doty into a game-ending flyout to preserve the 15th-ranked Bears 6-5 win over the Wildcats Sunday afternoon, salvaging the final game of BU's three-game series against KSU.

Baylor took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but KSU loaded the bases and scored a run on two singles and two walks off of Bear reliever Kyle Edens. BU coach Steve Smith brought in Paul Thorp, who promptly walked in another run by throwing four-straight balls to leadoff hitter Osmar Castillo. That's when Smith turned to Walker.

Walker, whose previous 11 appearances had been in non-conference action, struck out the first batter he faced, Gabe Luttrell, before walking in another run with a bases on balls to Big 12 batting leader Pat Maloney. With a two-strike count on Doty, Walker wild pitched in the fourth run of the inning, making the score 6-5 and putting the tying and winning runs in scoring position. However, Doty lifted the next pitch into left field, where defensive specialist Steve Dorneman put it away to end the game.

The ninth-inning excitement overshadowed a fine pitching performance by Baylor starter Justin Taylor, who improved to 8-1 with seven complete innings of five-hit baseball. Taylor allowed just one run and a walk while striking out six.

The game was scoreless until Trey Webb led off the sixth by reaching on an error and scored three batters later when Ross Bennett drilled Kevin Melcher's two-strike offering over the right-field fence for his fourth home run of the season. Mike Huggins kept the inning alive with a walk before David Murphy knocked another Melcher offering into pine trees beyond right-center field for his fifth homer.

Baylor (31-16, 13-10 Big 12) added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth on Josh Ford's pinch-hit, two-run double.