March 26, 2006

Box Score

NORMAN, Okla. -- No. 23 Oklahoma scored five runs, the last four of which were unearned, in the bottom of the eighth to rally past No. 22 Baylor 11-10 in Sunday's Big 12 Conference series finale at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners (20-6, 1-2) won the series two games to one, taking Saturday's game 5-2 after the Bears (16-8, 3-3) won Friday's opener 6-5.

Baylor led 8-0 after a five-run fifth inning. However, the Sooners were quick to answer with a four spot in the bottom of the frame, capped by a Freddy Rodriguez three-run homer. Oklahoma got another two runs on three consecutive two-out hits in the seventh.

With one out in the ninth, a single, a throwing error by Baylor third baseman Kevin Russo and a hit batter loaded the bases. Chuckie Caufield then singled to right, scoring a run and pulling the Sooners within one run. Aaron Reza followed with a sacrifice fly to right, tying the game.

The Bears appeared to be out of the jam when the next batter, Ryan Rohlinger, flied to right. However, right fielder Kevin Sevigny lost the ball in the sun, allowing two runs to score. Kevin Smith added a crucial RBI double, putting the Sooners up by three runs.

Russo's error was Baylor's first in five games and the first by a Bears' infielder in seven games.

Baylor tried to rally in the ninth as Chase Gerdes led off with a single and moved to third on Beamer Weems' second double of the day. Gerdes scored on a wild pitch, and Weems scored on a Zach Dillon RBI groundout. Seth Fortenberry came to the plate with two outs and the bases empty and nearly tied the game, but Caufield caught his towering fly ball with his back against the wall in right-center.

Nick Cassavechia (3-1) was saddled with the loss, allowing six runs, three earned, on five hits in 2.1 innings. Starter Tim Matthews did not factor in the decision, yielding four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.

Will Savage (2-1) tossed the final 3.0 innings to earn the victory; he allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts.

Baylor got two runs on three hits in the first. Gerdes singled to lead off the game and scored on a Weems double to the left-field corner. Two batters later, Russo plated Weems with a single up the middle. In the third, Fortenberry singled with one out, and Matt Sodolak followed with an RBI double.

The Bears appeared to break the game open with a five run fifth. Sevigny had an RBI single, Dillon a sacrifice fly, Sodolak an RBI fielder's choice and Russo a two-run single in the inning.

Fortenberry, Gerdes, Russo, Sevigny and Weems all had multiple-hit days for the Bears; Fortenberry had three hits. Dillon, Russo and Sodolak all had multiple-RBI games; Russo tallied three.

Baylor returns to action Tuesday, hosting Texas Southern for a 6 p.m. CST first pitch at Baylor Ballpark. Right-hander Jake Weghorst (1-0, 6.14) is scheduled to make his first career start for the Bears. Baylor also hosts Sam Houston State in an added game Wednesday at 6 p.m. The game replaces one of the games from the weather-cancelled California series.