COLUMBIA, MISSOURI (March 23, 2008) Two big innings proved costly for No. 14 Baylor as the Bears dropped a 12-2, seven-inning decision at No. 4 Missouri in Sunday's Big 12 Conference series finale at Taylor Stadium. Baylor (13-7, 2-4) has lost five consecutive road games and five straight road games in conference play, dating back to last season. Missouri (18-2, 3-0) has won 12 straight after sweeping the three-game series.
This was the first sweep in the series' history; prior to this weekend, it was the only series in Big 12 history to have never been swept.
After getting an unearned run in the third, Missouri exploded for five runs on five hits and a Baylor error in the third to take a commanding 6-0 lead. The key play in the inning came with two runs already in, the bases loaded and two outs. Ryan Lollis hit a chopper to Baylor third basemen Shaver Hansen, who misplayed the ball allowing a run to score and the inning to continue.
Baylor snapped a 25-inning scoreless streak with two runs in the top of the seventh. Raynor Campbell plated the first run with an RBI double, and Beamer Weems scored Campbell with a two-out single up the middle. However, the Bears stranded runners on the corners in what proved to be their last at bat of the game.
Missouri scored six runs on only three hits in the bottom of the seventh, pushing its lead to 10 runs and evoking the conference's mercy rule used in series finales. Three Baylor pitchers walked four batters, and Jacob Priday was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to end the game.
Tigers' starter Kyle Gibson (5-0) tossed a complete game for the win; he allowed two unearned runs on four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts.
Bears' starter Willie Kempf (3-1) was saddled with the loss. He allowed six runs, only two of which were earned, on eight hits and a walk with four strikeouts over 4.0 innings.
Baylor returns to action Tuesday, March 25, hosting Houston Baptist for the first of two midweek games. First pitch between the Bears and the Huskies is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT. Baylor hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 25-22, including a 23-22 edge during head coach Steve Smith's tenure. However, Missouri has won nine of the last 13 meetings. ... Missouri holds a 10-8 edge in games played at Columbia, winning five of the last six at Taylor Stadium. ... The Tigers lead the series 19-17 in regular-season Big 12 meetings, winning nine of the last 12.
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