June 2, 2007
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HOUSTON, Texas -- Tim Matthews logged seven strong innings in just his second start of the season, and Shaver Hansen was 4-for-4 with three RBI as third-seeded Baylor defeated fourth-seeded Prairie View A&M 9-2 in an elimination game Saturday afternoon at the NCAA Houston Regional, hosted by Rice University at Reckling Park.
Baylor (35-26) advances to Sunday's elimination game and will face loser of Saturday night's Rice-TCU game. Prairie View A&M (34-25) was the first team eliminated from the Houston Regional and the ninth eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.
Matthews (2-2) only other start this season was a 5.0-inning outing for a win April 24 at Texas State. Saturday, he held Prairie View to a pair of runs, one of which was unearned, on six hits and no walks with two strikeouts. It was Matthews' second career start in NCAA Tournament play; he started and suffered the loss against Rice in the championship game at last year's Houston Regional.
Baylor's bats provided Matthews run support early in the game, posting single spots in each of the first two innings. The Bears took control of the game with a three-run third on Matt Czimskey's RBI single and Dustin Dickerson's run-scoring fielder's choice.
After Prairie View got on the board with a run in the top of the fifth, Baylor pushed its lead to 7-1 with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Hansen provided both runs on a two-run double down the left-field line. Hansen also had singles in the second, third and seventh innings.
Prairie View scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh, but Matt Czimskey quickly answered with a solo home run to left field with one out in the bottom of the frame. It was Czimskey's first home run this season against a non-Big 12 Conference school. He also has homered in four of the last six games. Czimskey added a run-scoring fielder's choice in the eighth to cap the scoring at 9-2.
Cliff Springston allowed a hit and a walk in 2.0 scoreless innings of relief to close out the game for Baylor.
Seven of Baylor's nine starters had at least one hit and an eighth reached on a walk. Czimskey was 2-for-5 with three RBI, while Beamer Weems was 2-for-4 with two double and two runs scored. Chase Gerdes was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run. Ben Booker and Dickerson both scored twice.
Baylor returns to action Sunday, facing either Rice or TCU at 2 p.m. CDT. The Bears have not yet announced a starter.
NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 4-0. This is the first time the teams have met in postseason play and the first time they have met away from Baylor Ballpark. ... Baylor is 33-29 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, including a 27-17 mark in regional play. The Bears are 20-14 in neutral-site games in the NCAA Tournament, including an 18-8 mark in the regional round. ... Booker extended his hitting streak to nine games, establishing a career high. Weems (five games) and Matt Sodolak (three games) also extended hitting streaks. ... Dickerson has reached safely in 27 consecutive games.
