June 4, 2006
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HOUSTON, Texas - Beamer Weems' three-run home run in the bottom of the third erased a one-run deficit, and Baylor never trailed again as the Bears defeated No. 16 Arizona State 7-2 in Sunday night's elimination game at the NCAA Houston Regional at Rice's Reckling Park. Baylor (37-25) has won five of its last six elimination games in NCAA Tournament play, dating back to last year's super regional.
The win puts Baylor in Monday's regional championship game against host and top-ranked Rice, the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Rice defeated Baylor 7-2 in the teams' first meeting of the regional earlier Sunday afternoon.
Arizona State (37-21) scored twice in the top of the second, both runs coming on bases-loaded walks. The Bears quickly answered as Mike Pankratz blasted a solo homer to left with one out in the bottom of the second. After two quick outs in the bottom of the third, Baylor got consecutive singles from Kevin Russo and Seth Fortenberry. That set the stage for Weems' fourth home run in the last five games, all postseason contests.
Weems now has eight home runs on the season, one shy of Fortenberry's team-leading nine. Weems' total is the best by a Baylor freshman since Matt Williams' had nine in 1998 and the most by a Baylor shortstop since Jace Brewer also had eight in 2000.
Meanwhile, Cory VanAllen (8-5) earned the victory, winning for the fourth time in his last five decisions. VanAllen allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits and four walks with one strikeout over 5.2 innings. Jeff Mandel scattered four hits and a walk with two strikeouts over the game's final 3.1 innings to earn the save, his first since March 24 at Oklahoma.
Baylor tacked on three unearned runs on four singles and a pair of Arizona State errors in the sixth inning.
Weems, Fortenberry and Kevin Sevigny all turned in 2-for-4 efforts at the plate; Weems scored twice.
By virtue of other results from around the nation Sunday, Baylor joins Oregon State as the only remaining teams from the 2005 College World Series. Texas, Tulane and Arizona State all were eliminated Sunday, while Nebraska was eliminated Saturday. Florida and Tennessee did not make the NCAA Tournament this season.
First pitch between Baylor and Rice is scheduled for 4 p.m. CDT Monday. Should the Bears win that game, the teams would meet again at 8 p.m. Baylor will be the visitor for the first game and would be the home team should it force a second game. The Bears send right-hander Tim Matthews (6-4, 4.57) to the mound, opposite Rice southpaw Joe Savery (4-1, 2.53).
