 5BAYLOR (33-7, 16-0) Rank: #6 |
Box Score | Highlights |
 3TEXAS A&M (28-10, 9-4) Rank: #2 |
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April 20, 2012
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Logan Vick drove in the game winning-runs with a two-out single in the eighth inning to give No. 6 Baylor its 22nd straight win with a 5-3 victory against No. 2 Texas A&M on Friday night at Blue Bell Park.
The 22nd straight win gave Baylor (33-7, 16-0 Big 12) the Big 12 record for longest winning streak by a league team since the conference began play in 1997. The Bears also won their 16th consecutive conference game, which is one shy of the league record, and they tied a school record by winning their ninth straight road game.
Texas A&M (28-10, 9-4 Big 12) held a 3-2 lead heading to the eighth inning, but Lawton Langford's RBI single tied the game, and Vick put the Bears in front for the first time with a two-out, two-run single.
"I haven't been frustrated, nor have I sensed any kind of frustration with this team in so long that I can't remember the last time I had it," head coach Steve Smith said. "They're just competing."
Josh Turley (6-0) picked up the win by holding Texas A&M to one earned run in 7.0 innings, and the Bears improved to 10-0 in games started by Turley this season. Max Garner worked 2.0 shutout innings to record his sixth save of the year, five of which have come in the last three weekends of Big 12 play.
Texas A&M starter Michael Wacha did not factor in the decision after allowing two runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings, and reliever Jason Freeman (1-1) took the loss by allowing a pair of runs in 1.0 inning. The Bears worked Wacha's pitch count up to 119 in the sixth inning, while Turley needed 101 pitches to work through seven innings.
The Aggies took an early lead with two runs with the help of an error in the first inning, but Nathan Orf cut the deficit in half with a two-out RBI single in the second. A&M extended its lead back to two runs with another unearned run in the bottom half of the second, but Turley and Garner combined to hold the Aggies scoreless the rest of the way.
Max Muncy nearly got the Bears within a run in the third inning with a deep drive to right field, but Tyler Naquin made a leaping catch at the wall to rob a home run. The Bears followed with consecutive singles, but Wach escaped the inning without any damage.
Muncy and Josh Ludy led off the fifth inning with singles, and Muncy eventually scored on Dan Evatt's RBI fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Bears' eighth inning rally got started when Jake Miller struck out and reached on a passed ball, and Orf delivered his third hit of the game with one out in the inning. Langford's RBI single scored Miller to tie the game, and Muncy was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Reliever Kyle Martin struck out Ludy for the second out of the inning, but Vick delivered the big hit with a two-run single through the middle. Vick, Langford and Ludy had two hits apiece, and Orf finished 3-for-3 and reached in all five plate appearances.
A&M brought the potential tying run to the plate after a one-out hit batter in the eighth, but Garner induced a double play grounder to escape the inning, then retired the side in order in the ninth to close out the win.
The Battle of the Brazos resumes with the final two games at Baylor Ballpark on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., and Sunday's series finale is slated for 2:05 p.m. Both games will be televised live in Central Texas on MYTX.
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