April 6, 2002
Box Score
WACO, Texas - After sitting through a three-plus hour rain delay before the game even started and waiting almost an hour more during the game, 17th-ranked Baylor came away with an 8-6 win over 19th-ranked Oklahoma State Saturday at Baylor Ballpark.
With showers drifting through the area and rain falling off and on all day, the two teams waited three hours and 11 minutes before play even began. In the middle of the third, the teams sat for another 48 minutes as the tarp was pulled yet again.
Through 6 1/2 innings, it looked like Oklahoma State (22-8, 7-4 Big 12) would repeat Friday night's comeback performance. Baylor (22-12, 10-7 Big 12) scored single runs in the first and second innings as Michael Griffin and David Murphy each drove in runs.
OSU tied the game in the third, scoring twice but leaving runners on second and third when starter Jared Theodorakos struck out Daylon Monette looking. Theodorakos struck out 11 batters on the night, tying his career high set earlier this season against Southern California.
The Bears jumped on Cowboys starter Chris Reilly in the sixth, scoring four times. Back-to-back doubles by Trey Webb and Murphy started the inning and gave Baylor a 3-2 lead. Eric Errante followed with a single up the middle that scored Murphy and knocked Reilly out of the game. Daniel Rew relieved Reilly and struck out Ross Bennett, but then gave up a triple to Chris Durbin that scored pinch-runner Paul Witt. Mike Huggins walked before Griffin drove in Durbin with a sacrifice fly for a 6-2 lead.
With Theodorakos cruising, that lead looked like it might be safe. The Cowboys greeted the lefty with a bunt hit and a walk to start the seventh. Theodorakos got the next two men out on a fly ball and a strikeout, then induced Nebasett Brown to ground to Huggins at first base. On the wet ground, the ball rolled right between Huggins legs and into right field to score one run and continue the inning. DH Josh Fields took advantage of the error, blasting a three-run homer to left that tied the game at 6-6. Paul Thorp (2-1) came in and got the last out of the inning.
Unlike Friday night, Baylor was able to answer the call and get up off the deck Saturday. A one-out triple by Webb and a walk to Witt put runners on the corners with two outs. Reliever Joe Weaver (3-2), who had started the inning, faked a throw to first and was called for a balk that sent home Webb with the lead run.
The Bears added another run in the eighth. Durbin blasted his second triple of the night, and Huggins redeemed himself after the error with an RBI double to left-center that put Baylor up 8-6.
Kyle Edens pitched the final two innings for his Big 12-leading eighth save of the year, striking out four and allowing only one hit. With Edens leading the way, Baylor improves to 17-1 on the year when leading after eight innings.
The lineup continued its balanced performance, as five different Bears recorded two hits on the night (Durbin, Huggins, Griffin, Webb and Murphy). Webb scored three times, while Murphy and Griffin each drove in two runs.
Griffin extended his hitting streak to 11 games, best on the team this season, and Huggins extended his hitting streak to nine games.
Baylor and Oklahoma State face off again Sunday in the finale of the series, with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.
