April 29, 2009
Box Score | Quotes
WACO, Texas - Pinch runner Gilbert Saenz was thrown out trying to advance to second base on a ball in the dirt for the game's final out as No. 17 Baylor snapped a six-game losing streak with an 8-7 victory over UTSA in Wednesday night's action at Baylor Ballpark. Baylor (26-17) also snapped a three-game losing streak in one-run games. UTSA (25-19) saw its six-game winning streak end.
Dan Evatt's two-run single in the bottom of the eighth gave Baylor an 8-5 cushion and needed insurance runs. Michael Rockett led off the top of the ninth with a single to center and scored on Tyler Carpenter's one-out homer to the left of the batter's eye. Ryan Rummel later reached on a two-out single and was lifted for Saenz at first. Logan Verrett's 1-0 slider in the dirt away was swung on and missed; Gregg Glime blocked the ball and threw out Saenz at second on the play.
That made a winner of starter Craig Fritsch (2-5), who allowed one run on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 5.0 innings. It was Fritsch's first victory since March 6, snapping a four-decision losing streak. Verrett, who got the Bears out of a jam in the eighth, allowed two runs on four hits with one strikeout over 1.1 innings for his third save of the season.
UTSA starter Ryan Proudfoot (1-1) took the loss; he allowed six runs on five hits and a walk with two strikeouts over 5.0 innings.
Baylor took the game's first lead with a three-run fourth. Shaver Hansen delivered a bases-loaded sacrifice fly, and Aaron Miller followed with a two-out, two-run double off the wall in right. UTSA got a run in the fourth on Rummel's two-out RBI double. Evatt answered that with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the fourth. Consecutive sacrifice flies from Hansen and Miller pushed the Bears' lead to 6-1.
UTSA pulled to within one run at 6-5 with a three-run sixth and a solo spot in the eighth. Rummel started the scoring in the sixth with a bases-loaded walk, and Casey Selsor followed with a bases-loaded single off pitcher Brooks Pinckard's glove. Jason Mohn then grounded out to third, scoring another run. Ryan Hutson led off the eighth with a homer down the left-field line.
Evatt finished the night 3-for-4 with three RBI, while Dustin Dickerson was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Mohn, Rummel, Selsor, Hutson and Brett Aguilar all had two-hit nights for the Roadrunners, who out-hit the Bears 13-8 on the night. UTSA stranded 10 runners, including eight in scoring position.
Baylor returns to action this weekend, facing eighth-ranked Texas in the annual split series. The Bears and Longhorns open the series Friday with an 8 p.m. CDT first pitch at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin. The series then shifts to Baylor Ballpark for games Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 26-3, including a 19-2 edge in games played in Waco. The Bears are 24-1 against the Roadrunners during head coach Steve Smith's tenure. €¦ Baylor has homered in 16 consecutive games, extending a school-record streak. €¦ Evatt's home run was his sixth of the season, the most by a Baylor freshman since Beamer Weems had eight in 2006. €¦ Evatt (five games) and Dickerson (three games) both extended hitting streaks, while Hansen saw his five-game run end.
