Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Baylor
No. 9 Baylor Takes Series Opener 8-4
March 20, 2009 | Baseball
March 20, 2009
WACO, Texas - A six-run outburst by No. 9 Baylor in the bottom of the third gave the Bears a lead they would not relinquish as Texas Tech fell 8-4 on Friday night in this Big 12 series opener at Baylor Ballpark.
The loss is the third straight for the Red Raiders as they drop to 8-13 overall and fall to .500 in Big 12 play with a 2-2 record. Baylor improves to 13-4 on the year and to 2-2 in league play.
Texas Tech shortstop Joey Kenworthy's seventh error of the season led to Baylor's first run of the game as the Bears staked a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Baylor leadoff hitter Brooks Pinckard drove the first offering of the night from Miles Morgan into right field for a double. Following a strikeout of Joey Hainsfurther in the next at-bat, Dustin Dickerson hit a routine ground ball but Kenworthy's throw to first was wild and that allowed Pinckard to score easily from second.
The Red Raiders came firing back in the top of the second and made Baylor ace Kendal Volz log 38 total pitches in the frame. Tech got a leadoff walk from designated hitter Scott LeJeune followed up by a single to right from third baseman Justin Berry. Junior right fielder Taylor Ashby drove in Tech's first run of the night with an RBI single to right field that brought home LeJeune from second. A two-out, bases loaded fielding error by Baylor second baseman Raynor Campbell allowed two more Tech runs to score and the Red Raiders took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the third.
Baylor regained its lead in the bottom of the third as the Bears pounded Morgan for six runs on five hits to go ahead 7-3. Campbell hit the crushing blow for the Bears when he bounced a bases-loaded, three-RBI triple off the wall in center.
Trailing 8-4 in the top of the eighth, Texas Tech got the bases loaded with one out, but Baylor reliever Aaron Miller struckout Michael Reed and retired Kenworthy to end the threat.
Morgan (1-3) was charged with the loss for Texas Tech as he gave up eight runs (six earned) on seven hits and two walks over 4 1/3 innings. Kendall Volz picked up the win for Baylor as he held the Red Raiders to four runs (two earned) on 10 hits and struckout six over 5 2/3 innings of work. Aaron Miller earned his first save by posting 3 1/3 shutout innings.
