Welcome to wacotrib!

Home > The Bear Blog > Archives > 2009 > May > 20 > Entry

Baylor-Texas baseball — Big 12 tournament

By Brice Cherry | Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 12:25 PM

3:48 p.m. — Texas puts a couple of runners on base, but Baylor puts the finishing touches on the win when Volz gets Brandon Belt to hit into a game-ending double play. The Bears win a much-needed Big 12 opener over Texas, 14-9.

3:40 p.m. — Baylor adds a little insurance in the top of the ninth thanks to a solo jack from Dan Evatt. The Bears lead, 14-9, going into the bottom of the ninth, with Volz on tap to close it out.

3:32 p.m. — Volz gets out of the eighth unscathed, allowing only a two-out single to Brandon “Don’t Call Me Roy” Loy. The Bears head to the top of the ninth, leading 13-9. Andrew McKirahan will pitch the ninth for the Longhorns.

3:24 p.m. — Dustin Dickerson leads off the eighth with a solid single, but he’s wiped out when Raynor Campbell grounds into a double play. Then Carrillo induces an inning-ending groundout from Shaver Hansen. By the way, with his two hits today Dickerson has extended his hitting streak to 11 games and has hit safely in 35 of his last 36 games overall. The Bears lead, 13-9, with six outs left to record.

3:16 p.m. — Brandon Belt ropes a two-out, two-run home run about 352 feet (just over the fence) in left field, and Texas has cut Baylor’s lead to 13-9 through seven full innings.

3:03 p.m. — For the first time in a long time, everything is going right for Baylor. Brooks Kimmey greets Carrillo with a high chopper across the infield, and both baserunners come home when Torres throws wide of first base. The Bears are feeling good here at the seven-inning stretch, leading 13-7. Kendal Volz, in a “closer” role for the first time since his Team USA stint last summer, is coming in for Fritsch to pitch the bottom of the seventh.

2:58 p.m. — And there’s yet another pitching change for Texas, as Augie Garrido appears ready to pull out all the stops to win this game. Shinaberry faces one batter and gets a groundout from Don Lambert — thanks to a nice diving stop by UT third baseman Michael Torres — but now Kendal Carrillo will get his turn for the Horns with two outs in the seventh. Can you say micro-managing, Augie?

2:55 p.m. — And the revolving door of UT pitchers continues. Dan Evatt hammers a one-out single and Ben Booker follows with a deep double to right to chase Workman from the game. Keith Shinaberry will take the hill for Texas now.

2:49 p.m. — Fritsch is absolutely dealing for the Bears. Texas gets one bad-hop single, but Fritsch records all three outs via strikeout. He’s got 9 Ks for the game, just one shy of his career high. Baylor leads 11-7 through six complete innings.

2:40 p.m. — Shaver Hansen drills a well-struck liner into the right-field corner to drive home Dickerson and Campbell. Hansen is thrown out 9-to-4-to-5 at third base trying to stretch the hit into a triple, but the Bears have suddenly come to life, with an eight-run sixth inning. That’s the most runs Baylor has scored in an inning against a Big 12 play, and the most since a 10-run inning against Northwestern State back on April 7. Score: Baylor, 11-7, heading into the bottom of the sixth.

2:35 p.m. — Welcome back, Baylor. It’s a ball game again. Lambert displays a good eye and draws a walk to drive home one run, then pinch-hitter Brooks Kimmey belts a deep sac fly to right to score another. After a Joey Hainsfurther walk, Dustin Dickerson reaches out and tags a two-run double to left-center for a clutch two-out base knock. Then Campbell, who led off the inning, bangs an RBI single to bring the score to 9-7, Baylor. That’s it for UT’s usually-nasty reliever Austin Wood, who will be replaced by Brandon Workman.

2:23 p.m. — The Bears have shown a slight uprising here in the sixth. Dicharry opened the inning by plunking Raynor Campbell, then Shaver Hansen sprayed a double down the left-field line. Aaron Miller followed with a walk to load the bases for Dan Evatt, who struck out. But Ben Booker delivered an RBI single to left to cut the gap to 7-4. After going to a 2-2 count on Don Lambert, Dicharry has been replaced by lefty Austin Wood, who’s warming up now.

2:10 p.m. — Fritsch retires Texas in order in a clean bottom of the fifth. That included a gem of a defensive play from Joey Hainsfurther on a hard-hit grounder by UT’s Travis Tucker to lead off the inning. One of the few bright spots of Baylor’s play over the past few weeks has been the defensive efforts of Hainsfurther at second base, who makes the backhanded-stop-and-gun-to-first play as quickly as anyone. Austin Dicharry will take the mound for Texas in the top of the sixth, as Green’s day is done. Texas still leads, 7-3.

2:04 p.m. — Baylor wastes a leadoff single from Don Lambert. Green has really fooled BU’s batters by changing speeds, as five Bears have struck out looking on the day. Green has 7 Ks in all. Score: UT, 7-3, heading to the bottom of the fifth.

1:58 p.m. — The Longhorns put two batters on with one out, but Craig Fritsch works his way out of the jam for BU’s first scoreless inning on the mound today. Fritsch has been erratic so far. His fastball is popping — hitting up to 96 mph on the scoreboard radar gun — but he’s also dribbled several pitches short of the plate and given up four hits and two walks. Score: 7-3, Texas, after four complete innings.

1:47 p.m. — UT’s Green sits down Aaron Miller, Dan Evatt and Ben Booker in order in a quick top of the fourth. Texas leads 7-3 heading to the home half of the inning.

1:43 p.m. — Just like Baylor, Texas leads off the third with a triple, as Connor Rowe drills one into Bricktown Ballpark’s odd-shaped right-field corner. Michael Torres promptly brings home Rowe with a soaring sacrifice fly to the warning track in left, and the Horns later add another run on a Brandon Belt RBI double. Texas is in control, 7-3, after three full innings.

1:32 p.m. — Joey Hainsfurther belts a triple off the right-field fence to lead off the inning, then trots home on a groundout from Dustin Dickerson as Baylor nudges a little closer. Austin Dicharry is warming in the Texas bullpen, but Green has still only allowed three hits through the first three innings. Score: 5-3, Texas, through 2.5 innings.

1:22 p.m. — UT rightfielder Kevin Keyes slaps a two-run single to center, but Fritsch and the Bears escape without any further damage. Texas leads 5-2 through two complete innings, and has sent 17 batters to the plate.

1:16 p.m. — Well, Texas has loaded the bases with one out against BU’s Logan Verrett, and Baylor coach Steve Smith will turn to Craig Fritsch out of the bullpen. Verrett’s outing is done after 46 pitches.

1:04 p.m. — UT’s Green strikes out the side, fanning Ben Booker, Don Lambert and Gregg Glime in order in the top of the second. It’s still 3-2, Horns.

12:57 p.m. — Texas gets three in the home half of the first to take the lead. Logan Verrett left a number of pitches over the heart of the plate, and the Longhorns jumped on them with four singles, including two that never left the infield. It’s 3-2 Texas after one complete.

12:41 p.m. — Pretty good start for the Bears, who could certainly use one. Raynor Campbell smacks a one-out double to the right-centerfield gap, then two batters later Aaron Miller absolutely unloads on a fastball from UT’s Cole Green, crushing it over the bullpen past the right-field fence for a two-run shot. After one-half an inning, it’s 2-0, Baylor.

12:35 p.m. — Incidentally, Kansas State outlasted Kansas, 5-4, in the opening game here at the Big 12 tourney. That was a rematch of the teams’ Sunflower State series which Kansas won, two games to one, this past weekend.

12:25 — Greetings, baseball fans. It’s a lovely day here in Oklahoma City, site of the Big 12 tournament. Though I must admit it’s a little stuffy inside the press box. Anyway, we’re about 10 minutes away from getting going with Baylor’s opening game against the top-seeded Texas Longhorns. I’ll be providing periodic updates throughout the game, typically after each half-inning.

Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment |