April 28, 2006
Box Score
COLUMBIA, Mo. - For the first time since 1993 Baylor's baseball team suffered consecutive shutouts as the Bears dropped a 7-0 decision in Friday night's Big 12 conference series opener at Missouri. Baylor (26-18, 9-10) dropped its third consecutive Big12 series opener.
Baylor also was shut out 7-0 Wednesday night at home against McNeese State. The Bears had not been shutout in consecutive games since March 17 & 20, 1993, when the Bears lost to St. Mary's (2-0) and to Oral Roberts (2-0), respectively. Baylor has gone 18 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest such streak since a 23-inning stretch over a three-game stand in April 2004.
Missouri (20-20, 8-11), got a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, thanks in part to a pair of bloop hits down the left-field line. Evan Frey led off the inning with a single, and Brock Bond followed with a double that pushed Frey to third. Zane Taylor plated the first run with an RBI groundout, and Derek Chambers score bond with a two-out single to right.
That was all the run support Missouri starter Nathan Culp would need. Culp (8-4) allowed only four baserunners on the night and did not allow a runner to reach scoring position until two outs in the ninth. He finished with seven strikeouts, scattered three hits, and used just 96 pitches.
Baylor starter Ryan LaMotta (5-4) was not hit hard but took the loss, allowing seven runs, six earned, on seven hits and three walks with a season-high seven strikeouts.
Missouri added a run in the second, two in the fourth, and single spots in the fifth and sixth innings. Kevin Russo, Seth Hammock and Kevin Sevigny provided Baylor's only hits, all singles and the last two in the ninth.
Baylor and Missouri continue the series Saturday at 2 p.m. CDT. The Bears send southpaw Cory VanAllen (5-4, 4.45) to the mound, opposite Tiger right-hander Aaron Crow (0-4, 4.83).
