March 4, 2005
Box Score
WACO, Texas - On the strength of a walk and four hits in a six-batter span, Long Beach State scored three runs in the top of the third inning and held on for a 4-2 victory over No. 14 Baylor in Friday night's series opener at Baylor Ballpark. Long Beach State (10-6) runs its winning streak to five games with its sixth straight win against Baylor (7-5).
A one-out Chris Jones walk in the top of the third set the table for successive singles by Evan Longoria, Sean Boatright and Jordan Struble, the last two of which produced runs. Two batters later, Tito Cruz plated Boatright with a double to left-center.
The three-inning Long Beach third came immediately after the Bears squandered a golden opportunity to strike first. Baylor loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second, but a Kevin Sevigny fielder's choice and a Paul Witt fly out ended the frame.
Baylor was able to answer the Dirtbags in the bottom of the third; although, Long Beach State's fielding was much to blame. The Bears scored two runs on two hits and three LBSU errors. Josh Ford had Baylor's only RBI of the inning and the game on a first-and-third, one-out sacrifice fly.
Long Beach State tacked on a run in the top of the fourth on a Longoria sacrifice fly that followed consecutive one-out singles by Danny Moncy and Jones.
That capped the scoring as Dirtbag starter Cesar Ramos retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced before Brian Anderson and Neil Jamison pitched perfect eighth and ninth innings, respectively. Baylor's lone base runner after the third inning was Ford, who laced a one-out double to left-center in the fifth and was stranded at second.
Ramos (3-2) scattered seven hits with six strikeouts and no walks over 7.0 innings; both runs he surrendered were unearned. In Ramos, Baylor faced one of the nation's five returning 12-game winners for the third consecutive weekend. Jamison was credited with his fourth save of the season.
Baylor starter Trey Taylor (2-2) suffered his second consecutive loss after wins in six straight decisions dating back to the 2004 season. Taylor allowed four runs on eight hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 5.0-plus innings, facing one batter in the sixth.
Kyle Reynolds led the Baylor offense, going 2-for-4. No other Bear collected more than one hit.
Baylor and Long Beach State meet again Saturday at 4 p.m. CST. The Bears send southpaw Cory VanAllen (2-1) to the mound opposite right-hander Marco Estrada (2-0).
NOTES: Long Beach State now leads the all-time series 8-2 and has won six straight in the series. ... Friday's performance ended a streak of 10 consecutive starts for Taylor in which he allowed no more than three earned runs. However, he extended his streak of consecutive starts allowing no more than four earned runs to 15 starts. ... Friday was Taylor's 38th career start, moving the senior past Alan Koonce (1982-85) for sole possession of eighth place on Baylor's all-time list. ... With four at bats Friday, Michael Griffin now has 828 during his collegiate career. That moves him past Matt Williams (1998-01) and into fifth place on Baylor's all-time list. ... Griffin also scored career run No. 147 and moved into a 10th-place tie with David Murphy (2001-03) all-time at Baylor. ... Ford's double was the 70th extra-base hit of his career.
