Go Bears!
GO Bears!
Go Bears!
No. 19 Baseball Finishes Sweep of No. 8 Vandy 4-1
Bears break 1-1 tie with three two-out ninth-inning runs.
2B Michael Griffin was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI Sunday as Baylor finished the sweep of No. 8 Vanderbilt 4-1.

2B Michael Griffin was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI Sunday as Baylor finished the sweep of No. 8 Vanderbilt 4-1.

March 13, 2005

Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Chase Gerdes drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk and Michael Griffin followed with a two-run single as No. 19 Baylor scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to complete the sweep of eighth-ranked Vanderbilt 4-1 Sunday at Hawkins Field. Baylor (11-7) posts its first series sweep since 2003, while Vanderbilt (12-3) suffers its first sweep in a non-conference series since losing five straight at Hawai'i to open the 1981 season.

 

The two-out heroics were possible because of an inning-extending error by Vanderbilt shortstop Dominic De La Osa. Reid Brees got things going with a one-out single through the left side. After a Kevin Russo strikeout, Seth Fortenberry drew a walk to put pinch runner Jake Rippee in scoring position. Paul Witt then bounced one toward the hole at short, but De La Osa could not get a handle on the ball and all runners were safe.


 

 

 

Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin decided to stick with starter Matt Buschmann, who had thrown 130 pitches prior to facing Gerdes. Buschmann worked ahead but then missed outside on each of his final two pitches to Gerdes. Michael Wagner then entered the game and quickly got Griffin in a hole at 0-and-2, but Griffin then bounced one up the middle, scoring Fortenberry and Witt.

 

Reliever Ryan LaMotta (3-0) earned the victory, allowing two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 2.0 innings. Starter Mark McCormick turned in another strong outing, allowing just one run on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 7.0 innings.

 

Buschman was saddled with four runs, only one of which was earned, on five hits and four walks with five strikeouts in 8.2 innings.

 

Vanderbilt drew first blood, scoring a run on three hits in the bottom of the first. Mike Baxter had the run-producer, a two-out double down the right-field line.

 

Baylor was quick to answer, though, tying the game in the top of the second. Josh Ford was hit by a pitch to open the frame and then stole second. Zach Dillon followed with a double off the right-field wall, but Ford was forced to stop at third on the play. Russo plated Ford with a groundout to second.

 

Brees finished the day 3-for-4, while Griffin was 2-for-5 with a double.

 

Baylor returns to action Tuesday, hosting No. 24 TCU for a 6 p.m. CST first pitch at Baylor Ballpark. Tuesday's game is the Bears' final tune-up before opening Big 12 Conference play next weekend in a split series against Texas.

 

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 5-2. The Bears are now 3-0 all-time at Vanderbilt. ... Baylor improves to 5-0 this season on Sunday. ... Baylor sweeps its first three-game series since doing so May 2-4, 2003, at home against Kansas State. It was Baylor's first three-game sweep in a non-conference series and in a road three-game series since doing so Feb. 28-March 2, 2003, at UC Irvine. ... Ford saw his season-long seven-game hitting streak end. Kyle Reynolds (four games) and Russo (four games) also saw hitting streaks end. ... Baylor improves to 4-1 this season in McCormick starts.