March 10, 2007
Box Score
WACO, Texas -- Greg Houston struck out Seth Hammock with runners on the corners to notch his first save of the season as Mississippi State edged Baylor 8-6 in Saturday's second-day action at the Quala-T Imprints Baylor Classic. San Francisco defeated Winthrop 7-2 earlier in the day. All four teams are 1-1 through the first two days of the three-day event.
Baylor (11-7) scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a one-run deficit and take a 6-4 lead. However, Mississippi State (9-2) was quick to respond, scoring three runs on three hits and two Baylor errors in the top of the seventh.
The Bears threatened in the eighth, putting runners on the corners with one out. However, Houston got Beamer Weems to line into an inning-ending double play.
Connor Powers gave MSU an insurance run in the top of the ninth, blasting a solo home run over the scoreboard in left-center.
Aaron Miller led off the ninth with a single and moved to second on a groundout. Two batters and one out later, Houston struck out Tim Jackson; however, Jackson reached first and Miller moved to third when the third strike skipped to the backstop. Hammock, though, took a called third strike on the outside corner, ending the Baylor threat and the game.
MSU starter Justin Pigott (2-1) earned the victory; he allowed six runs on 10 hits and one walk with three strikeouts over 7.1 innings.
Tim Matthews, the second of three Baylor relievers, was saddled with the loss. Matthews (0-1) was touched for three runs, one earned, on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts over 2.2 innings. Baylor starter Kendal Volz allowed three runs on seven hits over 3.0 innings.
Ben Booker was 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and two RBI, while Jackson was 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. Chase Gerdes reached in all four plate appearances; he doubled once, walked once and was hit by a pitch twice.
Action in the Quala-T Imprints Baylor classic concludes Sunday at Baylor Ballpark. San Francisco (9-7) faces Mississippi State at noon CDT, while Baylor hosts Winthrop (11-8) at 4 p.m. The Bears send junior right-hander Randall Linebaugh (1-1, 2.57 ERA) to the mound, opposite Winthrop right-hander Jason Franzblau (3-2, 3.31 ERA).
NOTES: The all-time series is tied 3-3. This was the first meeting between Baylor and Mississippi State since the 1978 NCAA South Central Regional championship game at Arlington [Texas] Stadium. It was the first game between the two schools in Waco since 1925... Baylor fell to 42-10 at Baylor Ballpark since the beginning of the 2005 postseason. The Bears had won 17 of their last 18 at Baylor Ballpark.
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