May 17, 2005

Box Score

WACO - Baylor used 13 hits and a four-run second inning to beat Texas State 7-4 Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark

Baylor (35-18) scored one run in the first inning, and touched home plate four times in the second to jump out to an early 5-0 lead.

In the first, Zach Dillon tripled off of the center field wall to score Michael Griffin, while in the fourth, the Baylor scoring began when Kevin Russo scored from second on a bunt and a throwing error by Texas State's Dawid Bednarek.

The Bears then used a pair of doubles to knock in the inning's next three runs, making the score 5-0 through two innings.

Texas State (31-22) got on the board in the third, when Nolan Mast doubled home Dominic Ramos, and later scored on a Kyle Anson RBI single, cutting the Baylor lead to three heading to the bottom of the third.

The scoreboard stayed quiet until the bottom of the sixth, when the Bears tacked on a run with Reynolds' RBI sacrifice fly that scored Griffin from third.

Down 6-2 in the top of the seventh, Mast ripped his second RBI double of the day to score Cassidy Dresch, and like the third, Mast scored on an RBI single by Anson. The two-run inning cut Baylor's lead to 6-4 at the seventh-inning stretch.

Baylor's seventh and final run would come in the eighth inning, when Griffin belted a solo home run just over the glove of Bobcat left fielder Elliott Babcock. The homer, Griffin's seventh of the season came in his 1000th career collegiate at bat.

Texas State created an interesting top of the ninth, getting a one-out single from Ramos, followed by Mast's fielder's choice and a two-out walk for Anson. Baylor's Abe Woody got Kyle Jones to ground out to third to end the game, giving the right hander his tenth save of the season.

Steven Siers took the loss for Texas State, tossing 4.0 innings with one strike out. Siers gave up five runs on five hits, and his record evened at 2-2 with the loss. Jeff Mandel got the win for Baylor, moving his record to 2-0 on the year. Mandel went 5.0 innings, striking out one but allowing just two runs on two Bobcat hits.

Ramos, Mast and Anson each had multi-hit games, as Ramos went three-for-five with a run scored, while Anson was two-for-four with two RBIs. Mast went two-for-five, scoring twice and driving in two runs. The Bobcats' other two hits came from Dresch and Jose Rodriguez, and Dresch was the third Bobcat baserunner with a run scored.

Five Bears went for multiple hits, led by Griffin's three-for-five, three-run outing. Griffin also carded an RBI on his eighth inning home run.

Texas State will be back in action on Thursday, when the Bobcats open a three-game series in Beaumont against Lamar. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m., Thursday, while Friday's game two will follow at 7 p.m., as well. The series will conclude Saturday with a 1 p.m., first pitch in Beaumont.