May 27, 2007
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Nick Cassavechia induced a fielder's choice off the bat of Mike Gosse with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth as sixth-seeded Baylor held off a furious late-inning Oklahoma rally for a 7-6 victory in Saturday night's pool play finale at the Big 12 Conference Championship.
Baylor (34-24) advances to Sunday's title game against fifth-seeded and 17th-ranked Texas A&M at 1 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Net. This is Baylor's fifth title game appearance and third in the last five years.
The Bears, who were the only team to finish perfect in pool play at this year's championship, have won six straight games for the first time since a seven-game run in February. Baylor also has six straight wins against Big 12 teams for the first time since sweeping Kansas State and Kansas to conclude a seven-game streak in 2005.
Oklahoma, the seventh seed in the event, gave the Bears all they could handle in the final four innings, the last three of which were played with steadily falling rain. Baylor led 7-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth, when the Sooners finally got to Baylor starter Kendal Volz for a run. Oklahoma added another run in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
Things got really interesting in the ninth. After Cassavechia struck out Joe Dunigan to lead off the inning, Cory Williamson singled down the left-field line. A walk and a bunt single loaded the bases with one out before Cassavechia struck out Aaron Baker. Joseph Hughes then walked to pull the Sooners to within two runs at 7-5, and Cassavechia hit pinch hitter Jarod Freeman to close the gap to one run.
However, that was all Oklahoma could muster as Baylor second baseman Shaver Hansen fielded Gosse's bouncer and stepped on second to force out Freeman and end the game.
Volz (6-2) earned the victory in his first career Big 12 Championship start. Invoking memories of Mark McCormick's start as a freshman against Nebraska in the semifinals of the 2003 event, Volz established a Big 12 Championship record with 13 strikeouts in 7.0 innings. It was the most strikeouts by a Baylor pitcher since Jason Jennings had 14 strikeouts against Kansas in 1999. Volz allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks.
Cassavechia, who was touched for two runs on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 1.2 innings, earned his 11th save of the season. It was his third save in as many games at this year's Big 12 Championship, tying Nebraska closer Brett Jensen's record from last season. Cassavechia now has four career saves in Big 12 Championship play, twice as many as any other pitcher in school history.
Beamer Weems gave Baylor an early lead with a two-run single in the top of the first. However, the Bears left the bases loaded in the first; it was a precursor for the evening as Baylor left 12 runners on base, seven in scoring position.
Tim Jackson's two-run single in the third pushed Baylor's lead to 4-0. Raynor Campbell reached on a two-out double in the fourth, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Oklahoma catcher Jackson Williams' throwing error. Weems then drew the second of his school-record tying and Big 12 Championship record fourth walk of the night. Two batters later, Matt Czimskey hit his third home run of the championship to give Baylor a 7-0 lead.
It was Czimskey's third straight game with a home run. He is the first Baylor player to homer in three straight games since Josh Ford had four homers in a three-game span twice during the 2004 season. Czimskey tied Weems' school record for homers in a Big 12 Championship. It was his eighth of the year, all of which have come against Big 12 teams.
The home run also extended Czimskey's career-long hitting streak to 19 games, the seventh-longest in Baylor history and the longest by a Bear since David Murphy's 21-game run in 2003.
However, Czimskey's home run was Baylor's last score of the night. The Bears managed just three hits the rest of the way - Tim Jackson's leadoff double in the fifth, Paul Miles' fifth-inning single, and Campbell's leadoff single in the eighth. Oklahoma relievers Heath Taylor, Garrett Richards and Chris Henry worked around six walks to hold the Bears scoreless over the final five innings.
Oklahoma starter Ryan Mottern (3-5) was saddled with the loss after not escaping the first inning. He allowed two runs on two hits and three walks in one-third of an inning.
Campbell, Czimskey and Jackson all finished with two-hit nights for the Bears. Czimskey, Jackson and Weems had two RBI, while Campbell Czimskey and Weems each scored twice.
Baylor has not announced a starter for Sunday's title game. Texas A&M sends freshman right-hander Scott Migl (6-3, 3.61 ERA) to the mound.
NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 31-26, including a 4-0 advantage in neutral-site meetings. Baylor is 2-0 against Oklahoma in Big 12 Championship meetings. The Bears are 21-20 against Oklahoma during head coach Steve Smith's tenure. ... Baylor improves to 5-0 all-time in Big 12 Championship play with a trip to the title game on the line. ... Baylor is now 7-1 all-time on Saturday in Big 12 Championship play, including a 7-0 mark in such games at Bricktown Ballpark. ... Weems' two RBI give him 10 on his career in Big 12 Championship play, tying three other players for Baylor's record. ... Campbell and Dickerson both have reached safely in 29 consecutive games. ... Czimskey has reached safely in 24 consecutive games.
