May 21, 2005
Box Score
WACO, Texas - Missouri scored four runs in the first two innings and held off a late Baylor rally as the visiting Tigers defeated the ninth-ranked Bears 7-3 in Big 12 Conference action Saturday at Baylor Ballpark. Baylor (36-19, 19-7) snapped a five-game winning streak with the loss. Missouri (36-19, 15-11) clinched at least a fourth-place finish in the Big 12 with the win.
Baylor starter Trey Taylor, who has been the most consistent Baylor starter over the past two seasons, struggled to find command Saturday. The senior southpaw walked the game's first two batters on eight pitches and never seemed at ease throughout the day. Jacob Priday gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with a seeing-eye single through the right side, and Hunter Mense followed with a sacrifice fly to left.
The Tigers doubled their lead with two runs in the second on two walks, an infield single and a Baylor error. The Bears got on the board in the bottom of the third thanks to a Josh Ford RBI double down the line in left. However, Missouri was quick to answer with another two-spot in the top of the fourth on Gary Arndt's two-run single through the left side.
Baylor managed a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth. Kevin Russo singled and later scored on a wild pitch. Kevin Sevigny, who reached on a Missouri error, scored on a Chase Gerdes two-out RBI single up the middle. However, that was as close as the Bears would get as Mense added an insurance run with a solo homer in the top of the ninth.
Taylor (5-5) was touched for six runs, five earned, on three hits and five walks with one strikeout in 3.0-plus inning, facing two batters in the fourth. Jeff Mandel provided solid long relief for the second consecutive weekend, scattering five hits and three walks in 5.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Missouri starter Nathan Culp (9-2) held Baylor to one run on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Andrew Johnston surrendered two unearned runs on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts over 3.0 innings for his fourth save of the season.
Ford (3-for-5), Russo (2-for-4) and Kyle Reynolds (2-for-2) provided seven of Baylor's eight hits on the day.
Baylor and Missouri conclude their three-game series Sunday at 2 p.m. CDT. The Bears send southpaw Cory VanAllen (7-4, 3.91 ERA) to the mound; Missouri has not yet announced a starter for the series finale. Baylor's seven seniors will be honored prior to the game at 1:30 p.m.
NOTES: Reynolds left the game in the fifth inning after sustaining a jammed thumb on a throw to first earlier in the game. His status is day-to-day. ... Baylor leads the all-time series 22-14, including a 10-6 advantage in games played in Waco. The Bears are 20-14 against the Tigers since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997. ... Baylor is 9-5 this season on Saturday, 6-3 in Big 12 play. ... The Bears are 6-2 in May, 4-1 in Big 12 play. ... Baylor falls to 20-9 this season at Baylor Ballpark, 11-3 in conference games. ... Taylor started his 48th career game Saturday, tying Kris Lambert (1994-97) for third all-time at Baylor. The Bears are 9-5 this season in Taylor's 14 starts this season, 31-17 in his 48 career starts. ... Ford's double was the 50th of his career, tying Mike Huggins (2000-02) for ninth all-time at Baylor. ... Ford extended his hitting streak to seven games; Russo also extended his hitting streak to four games. Zach Dillon and Michael Griffin, meanwhile, saw six-game streaks end. ... Reid Brees, Dillon and Griffin were held hitless in Big 12 action for the first time in 10 games, eight games and six games, respectively. Ford has hit safely in five consecutive conference games.
