April 20, 2007
Box Score
WACO, Texas -- Missouri scored in seven of nine innings, and starter Aaron Crow carried a no-hitter into the fifth as the Tigers used an 18-hit attack to defeat Baylor 11-4 in Friday night's Big 12 Conference series opener at Baylor Ballpark. It was the first home loss in a Friday night Big 12 home game for Baylor (21-18, 6-10) since 2004. Missouri (27-11, 8-5) has won five of the last six meetings, including three straight at Baylor Ballpark.
The Tigers got the scoring started with an unearned run on one hit and two Baylor errors in the first inning. After a scoreless second, Missouri added two runs in the third and solo spots in the fourth and fifth innings to build a 5-0 lead.
Matt Sodolak gained Baylor's first hit of the night, a single up the middle with one out in the fifth. Baylor did not get on the board until the sixth on Beamer Weems' two-out RBI triple.
Missouri quickly answered with two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth. Baylor got a run back in the bottom of the eighth on Ben Booker's RBI single, but the Tigers again answered with a three spot in the top of the ninth. Shaver Hansen plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth to close the scoring.
Crow (5-2) allowed two runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts over 7.1 innings.
Baylor starter Jeff Mandel (5-6) suffered just his third loss in 13 career decisions at Baylor Ballpark. Mandel allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits and a walk with one strikeout over 3.1 innings.
All nine Missouri starters hit safely; Kyle Mach led the attack, going 4-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. Jacob Priday and Ryan Lollis had three hits each; Priday, Trevor Coleman and Brock Bond each had two RBI.
Baylor finished the night with seven hits. Chase Gerdes was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
The Bears and the Tigers continue their three-game series Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CDT. Baylor sends junior right-hander Randall Linebaugh (2-4, 4.72 ERA) to the mound, opposite Missouri southpaw Rick Zagone (6-0, 3.92 ERA).
NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 23-18, including a 10-8 edge in games played in Waco. The Bears are 19-18 against Missouri since the inception of the Big 12 Conference, including a 16-15 mark in regular-season meetings. ... Gerdes (seven games) and Raynor Campbell (four games) both extended hitting streaks. Gerdes also has hit safely in six consecutive Big 12 games. ... Gerdes collected the 48th stolen base of his career Friday night, tying Jack Stubbs (1992-95) for 10th place on Baylor's all-time list.
