Baylor
Oklahoma
Baseball Loses to OU on Infield Single, 3-2
5/24/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
 2 BAYLOR (43-13) Rank: #6 |
Oklahoma City, Okla. • Attendance: 4,102 |  3OKLAHOMA (37-21) Rank: NR |
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OKLAHOMA CITY - Baylor carried a 2-1 lead to the bottom of the seventh in Thursday's Big 12 Championship game at Bricktown Ballpark, but Oklahoma came back to win 3-2 on a walk-off infield single after a close play at first base.
With the loss, Baylor (43-13) will face Kansas State in an elimination game at 3:15 p.m. Friday. The winner of that game will have to beat Oklahoma (37-21) twice on Saturday to advance to Sunday's title game.
"We will play with the same mindset we've had for 50-something games," Smith said. "We'll play tomorrow and just play that game. We didn't get to this place by looking way down the road. You just have to take one game at a time and do the best you can."
Baylor starting pitcher Trent Blank left the game in line for his 11th win of the season by allowing just one run on seven hits in 6.0 innings, but he didn't factor in the decision after Cody Reine tied the game with a one-out solo homer in the seventh.
"It wasn't my best day, but my defense was behind me," Blank said. "You just have to give (Oklahoma) credit. They did what they had to do today."
The game was tied 2-2 heading to the bottom of the ninth, and Erik Ross got the Sooners started when his one-out fly ball went for a double after it fell out of Michael Howard's glove on a sliding attempt. An intentional walk put two runners on, and Jake Miller made a great play on a sharp ground ball to get Max White on a close play at first base.
Evan Mistich followed with a grounder deep in the hole as shortstop, and Miller nearly made another spectacular play, but Mistich was called safe on another close play at first, allowing Ross to score the game-winning run.
Baylor got on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Logan Vick drew a one-out walk, stole second base and moved to third on Josh Ludy's single that was lined off Oklahoma starting pitcher Jordan John. Max Muncy followed with a RBI single, and Cal Towey added a two-out RBI single to put the Bears in front 2-0.
Oklahoma put together four hits in the bottom of the fourth, but Blank limited them to only one run with the help of a double-play grounder. Crayton Bare came on in relief to start the seventh and got the first out, but Reine hit a 2-2 pitch over the Baylor bullpen to tie the game at 2-2.
Ludy had Baylor's only multi-hit game, reaching on a pair of infield singles, and Vick and Ludy scored the Bears' only runs. Dillon Newman (3-3) took the loss after allowing one run on two hits in 2.1 innings of relief.
Oklahoma's Steven Okert (8-6) picked up the win with 2.0 innings of hitless relief. John got a no-decision after allowing two runs on six hits in 7.0 innings.
The Bears return to action against Kansas State at 3:15 p.m. Friday at Bricktown Ballpark. Baylor is expected to start senior Tyler Bremer on the mound against KSU left-handed Robert Youngdahl. The Bears beat K-State 11-1 in seven innings in each team's first tournament game on Wednesday.
