BAYLOR BASEBALL POUNDS UT ARLINGTON 14-4

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (April 29, 2008) Dustin Dickerson's two-out RBI single snapped a 2-2tie in the seventh, and Baylor scored 12 runs over the last three innings for a 14-4 victory Tuesday night at UT Arlington. The Bears (26-20) have won nine straight against the Mavericks (20-24), sweeping this season's home-and-home series.

UT Arlington tied the game on Danny Slinkman's two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the seventh, but Baylor was quick to answer. Gregg Glime drew the second of his three walks on the night to lead off the inning, moved to second on Shaver Hansen's sacrifice bunt and took third on Beamer Weems' deep fly ball to center. Dickerson ripped Eamonn Donovan's first pitch back through the box, scoring Glime. The Bears never trailed again.

Adam Hornung and Aaron Miller followed with walks, and Dickerson scored on a wild pitch. Raynor Campbell ripped an RBI double, and Ben Booker capped the five-run seventh with a two-run single.

Baylor got three runs in the eighth on Hornung's two-run double and a Miller sacrifice fly. The Bears padded their lead with a four-run ninth. Weems had a sacrifice fly, Dickerson added an RBI single, and Landis Ware had a pinch-hit RBI double. Dickerson then scored on a wild pitch.

Tim Matthews (4-1) earned the victory in relief, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Starter Shawn Tolleson retired all six batters he faced with three strikeouts in a predetermined 2.0-inning start. Randall Linebaugh and Nick Cassavechia worked an inning each to close out the game on the mound.

Donovan (0-2) took the loss; after working a scoreless sixth, he walked Glime on four straight pitches to start the seventh and left the game after starting off 2-1 on Hansen. Starter Drew Clementz allowed two runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 5.0 innings.

Baylor scored a run on three consecutive singles in the first. Weems beat out a bunt single, moved to second on a Dickerson single, and scored on Hornung's single to left. Dickerson pushed the Bears' lead to 2-0 in the fifth, scoring Hansen with a sacrifice fly.

The Bears finished the night with 14 hits, eight walks, two hit batsmen and six sacrifices. Dickerson led the way with three hits; he also had three RBI and scored three times. Hornung and Weems each had two hits, and the former collected three RBI. Hansen and Glime scored three times each. Eight of the nine starters collected at least one hit.

Baylor returns to action Wednesday, hosting Sam Houston State for a 6:30 p.m. CDT first pitch at Baylor Ballpark. This is a makeup game from the rained-out March 18 date; tickets from that game will be honored.

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 73-28, including a 29-16 advantage in games played at Arlington. The Bears are 27-8 against the Mavericks during head coach Steve Smith's tenure. ... Baylor improved to 5-1 against Southland Conference opponents this season. ... Booker (five games), Campbell (five games) and Hansen (three games) all extended hitting streaks.

TCU to face No. 24 Rice in NCAA Regionals

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 29, 2008) The No. 34 TCU men’s tennis team will face No. 24 Rice in the opening round of the NCAA Regionals in Austin, Texas, on May 9 at 1 p.m. The trip to the NCAA Tournament will be the 22nd overall in school history and the 17th appearance in the last 18 seasons.

The Horned Frogs are the No. 3 seed in the Austin Regional, along with No. 1 Texas (20-5), No. 2 Rice (16-8) and No. 4 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (15-7).

The Frogs return to the NCAA Tournament after earning an automatic bid by capturing the Mountain West Conference Tournament Championship last weekend with a 4-3 victory over New Mexico. TCU is currently 20-7, posting the most wins in a season since the 2001 season, when the Frogs reached the NCAA Final Four.

Senior Cosmin Cotet was named the MWC Co-Player of the Year, while Emanu Brighiu and Kriegler Brink also earned spots on the All-MWC Singles Team. Brink and Cotet, ranked No. 50 nationally, earned all-conference doubles accolades as well.

Brink (23-2), Cotet (20-6) and Nichols (21-5) all posted at least 20 singles victories this season for the Frogs. Overall, Brink notched a record of 32-6 during the 2007-08 season, ranking second all-time at TCU in season singles winning percentage (.842).

BAYLOR BASEBALL TOPS No. 8 NEBRASKA 8-3

WACO, TEXAS (April 27, 2008) Paul Miles’ two-run single keyed a four-run first inning, while Willie Kempf and Mace Thurman combined for 11 strikeouts as Baylor defeated No. 8 Nebraska 8-3 in Sunday’s Big 12 Conference finale at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (25-20, 9-12) snapped losing streaks of five games at home, five games in Big 12 play and nine games against Top 10 opponents. The Huskers (32-8-1, 15-5-1) fell to 3-13 all-time at Baylor Ballpark.

Baylor sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning. After Shaver Hansen struck out to start the inning, Beamer Weems and Dustin Dickerson wrapped back-to-back singles. Adam Hornung walked, and Aaron Miller followed with a flare RBI single to left-center. Raynor Campbell followed with a sacrifice fly, and Ben Booker walked to reload the bases. Miles then punched the first pitch he saw through the right side, scoring Hornung and Miller.

That proved to be all the offense Baylor would need as Kempf and Thurman held Nebraska to three runs on six hits and four walks. The Huskers got a solo home run form Craig Corriston in the second, a two-out Jake Opitz RBI single in the third, and a Mitch Abeita one-out RBI single in the eighth.

Kempf (6-2) moved to 6-1 in his career at Baylor Ballpark after suffering his first career home loss in relief in the series opener. He allowed two runs on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Thurman walked two and struck out seven, a career high, over 4.0 innings for his second save of the season; Abeita’s eighth-inning RBI single was the only hit Thurman allowed.

Nebraska’s solo spots in the second and third innings pulled the Huskers to within two runs at 4-2. However, the Bears answered with four one-run innings of their own. Hornung doubled with two outs in the fourth, and Miller followed with an RBI single. Weems followed Hansen’s two-out single in the fifth with an RBI triple down the line in right. Hansen singled with one out in the seventh, stole second and scored on Dickerson’s two-out RBI single.

Miller capped the scoring with a leadoff homer down the right-field line in the eighth. It was his 10th round-tripper of the season, the most by a Baylor player since 2004 when Josh Ford had 14 and Michael Griffin had 10. Miller is the first Baylor sophomore with at least 10 home runs since 2002 when Ford had 12 and Griffin had 11.

Nebraska starter Aaron Pribanic left the game after opening the second inning with two straight balls. He allowed four runs on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Erik Anderson, who faced only two batters and recorded the final out of the fourth inning, was the only of Nebraska’s six pitchers used on the day to not allow a run.

All nine Baylor starters reached base safely at least once, and eight of the nine recorded at least one hit. Miller was 4-for-5 with two runs and three RBI, while Dickerson was 3-for-5. Booker, Hansen and Weems had two hits each, and Hornung scored twice.

It was Baylor’s first win against a team ranked in Baseball America’s Top 10 since sweeping fifth-ranked Nebraska in 2006.

Baylor plays two midweek games for the sixth consecutive week. The Bears travel to UT Arlington for a 6:30 p.m. CDT first pitch at Clay Gould Ballpark. Baylor hosts Sam Houston State for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch Wednesday in a makeup game of a March 18 rainout.

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 29-22-1, including a 19-6-1 advantage in games played in Waco. The Bears are 21-18 against Nebraska since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including a 19-12 advantage in regular-season Big 12 meetings. This was Nebraska’s first Big 12 series win at Baylor Ballpark in five tries. … Booker (four games) and Campbell (four games) both extended hitting streaks. … Campbell has hit safely in four straight Big 12 games and in 15 of his last 16 league games. … Weems’ triple was his sixth career three-bagger in Big 12 play, tying Chris Durbin (2000-2003), Michael Griffin (2002-2005) and Kevin Sevigny (2003-2006) for second place all-time at Baylor.

BAYLOR BASEBALL SERIES FINALE DELAYED

WACO, TEXAS (April 27, 2008) Due to inclement weather in the Central Texas area, Sunday's Big 12 Conference series finale between Baylor and eighth-ranked Nebraska is in a delay.

The game will start no earlier than 2 p.m. CDT. The Huskers won the first two games of the series Saturday, taking the first game 6-4 in 10 innings and the second game 14-1 in seven innings.

BAYLOR BASEBALL DROPS PAIR TO No. 8 NEBRASKA

WACO, TEXAS (April 26, 2008) No. 8 Nebraska used a two-out, two-run single in the top of the 10th of the first game and a seven-run first inning in the nightcap to sweep a doubleheader against Baylor in Big 12 Conference action Saturday at Baylor Ballpark. The Huskers (32-7-1, 15-4-1) took the opener 6-4 in 10 innings and the second game 14-1 in seven innings. The Bears (24-20, 8-12) have lost five straight at home for the first time since 1994.

Brooks Kimmey’s pinch-hit, two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth tied the opener 4-4. However, DJ Belfonte bounced a Willie Kempf 0-2 offering up the middle and into center in the top of the 10th, scoring Jake Opitz and Nick Sullivan. In the second pitch of the at bat, Baylor third baseman Shaver Hansen was able to get a glove on a Belfonte pop foul, but Hansen was not able to hold onto the ball before flipping over the railing outside Baylor’s dugout. Belfonte was the 12th batter of the game to face an 0-2 count and the first to reach base.

Baylor had a chance in the bottom of the inning as Adam Hornung doubled to center with one out. However, Aaron Miller struck out and Beamer Weems grounded out to end the game.

Kempf (5-2) pitched the 10th inning and took the loss, the first of his career at Baylor Ballpark in six decisions. He allowed two runs on one hit and two walks with one strikeout. Starter Kendal Volz allowed two runs on five hits and five walks with eight strikeouts over 6.0 innings.

Mike Nesseth (3-1) earned the victory in relief for Nebraska; he faced one batter, retiring Raynor Campbell with runners at first and second to end the ninth inning. Zach Herr worked the 10th inning to pick up his fourth save of the season.

Nebraska took control of the night cap early, scoring seven runs on four hits, three walks and two hit batsmen. Opitz started the scoring spree with a two-run double. Belfonte had an RBI single, Cody Neer added a two-run single, Ben Kline had an RBI sacrifice bunt, and Bryce Nimmo capped the frame with an RBI double.

The Huskers pushed their lead to 10-0 on a fourth-inning Belfonte sacrifice fly and a fifth-inning, two-run homer from Opitz. Baylor cracked the scoreboard without a hit in the bottom of the fifth. Jon Ringenberg walked to lead off the inning, moved to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on a balk and scored on a Kimmey groundout.

Nebraska did not let up, scoring a run in the sixth on Kline’s RBI single. Tyler Rank added a pinch-hit, two-run double in the seventh, and the Huskers capped the scoring with another Belfonte sacrifice fly later in the inning. The game was called to due the conference’s run-rule, which is in effect for doubleheaders. The 13-run loss was Baylor’s largest margin of defeat at home since a 16-3 loss to Texas Tech in 1994.

Thad Weber (8-2) allowed one unearned run on four hits and four walks with four strikeouts in a complete-game effort for the Huskers.

Shawn Tolleson (4-3) took the loss for the Bears after. He recorded only two outs in the first inning and was saddled with all seven runs.

Baylor and Nebraska conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m. CDT. Kempf is Baylor’s scheduled starter, but head coach Steve Smith said that could change. The Huskers send right-hander Aaron Pribanic (3-2, 3.86 ERA) to the mound.

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 28-22-1, including an 18-6-1 advantage in games played in Waco. The Huskers snapped a seven-game losing streak at Baylor Ballpark.

TCU CAPTURES MWC MEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 26, 2008) The TCU men’s tennis team rallied to defeat New Mexico by a score of 4-3 on Saturday to capture the Mountain West Conference Championship at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. The Horned Frogs notched their 20th win of the year, doubling their win total from last season.

“We had a great effort from the kids today,” said TCU head coach Dave Borelli. “New Mexico played really well and we were fortunate to get the win. This past week we talked about how to deal with the highs and lows and keeping their focus, and they were able to do that today.”

The Frogs kicked off the match with two dominating doubles victories to jump out to the 1-0 lead. The TCU duo of Zach Nichols and Jack Seider led off with an 8-3 win over Graeme Kassautzki and Joe Wood at the No. 3 position, while Cosmin Cotet and Adrian Simon clinched the point with an 8-2 defeat of Chris and Johnny Parkes at the No. 2 slot.

TCU had a shaky start in singles, dropping matches at the No. 2, 4 and 5
positions to trail 3-1, while also dropping first sets in two other contests.

Miles Bugby put the Lobos on the board with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Zach Nichols, while Chris Parkes followed with a 6-4, 6-1 defeat of Simon at the No. 5 position. Johnny Parkes put Mexico up 3-1 over the Frogs after defeating Emanu Brighiu by a score of 7-6(6), 6-4 at the No. 2 slot.

Casey Powers, one of TCU’s four freshmen in the lineup, began the rally with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Kamil Pajkowksi at the No. 6 position.

Cotet, ranked No. 36 nationally, defeated his 11th ranked opponent of the 2007-08 season with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over No. 69 Jones at the top spot to even the match at 3-3. Cotet improved to 21-6 at the top position this spring with the win.

With the league title on the line, TCU’s Brink delivered with a 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Kassautzki to seal the match. Brink, a junior from Gauteng, South Africa, improved to 23-2 in dual matches this season.

The Frogs (20-7) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with Saturday’s victory. TCU claimed its second MWC tournament title in the last three years.

No. 1 TCU (20-7) def. No. 2 New Mexico (20-8), 4-3

SINGLES
1. No. 36 Cosmin Cotet (TCU) def. No. 69 Max Jones (UNM) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
2. Johnny Parkes (UNM) def. Emanu Brighiu (TCU) 7-6(6), 6-4
3. Kriegler Brink (TCU) def. Graeme Kassautzki (UNM) 5-7, 7-5, 6-4
4. Miles Bugby (UNM) def. Zach Nichols (TCU) 6-0, 7-5
5. Chris Parkes (UNM) def. Adrian Simon (TCU) 6-4, 6-1
6. Casey Powers (TCU) def. Kamil Pajkowski (UNM) 6-4, 6-4

Order of Finish: 4, 5, 2, 6, 1, 3*

DOUBLES
1. Brink/Brigiu (TCU) vs. Jones/Pajkowski (UNM) 6-5, unf.
2. Cotet/Simon (TCU) def. Parkes/Parkes (UNM) 8-2
3. Nichols/Seider (TCU) def. Kassautzki/Wood (UNM) 8-3

Order of Finish: 3, 2*

*Clinching point

FROGS BLANK BYU FOR TRIP TO CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 25, 2008) The top-seeded TCU Horned Frogs posted a 4-0 shutout over No. 5 BYU on Friday to punch their ticket to the Mountain West Conference Tournament’s championship match on Saturday. The Frogs improved to 19-7 overall with the win, while BYU dropped to 16-12 on the season.

“We really played well today,” said TCU head coach Dave Borelli. “I thought this
was the best we played in the conference this season, and it couldn’t have come
at a better time. I’m really pleased with the team and we’ll just go out tomorrow and try to have fun.”

BYU won the first doubles contest, as Cassidy Mears and Evan Urbina defeated Zach Nichols and Jack Seider at the bottom position by a score of 8-5.

Cosmin Cotet and Adrian Simon answered back with an 8-3 defeat of Daniel Hwang
and Thomas Shubert at the No. 2 position, while Kriegler Brink and Emanu Brighiu
clinched the point with an 8-5 win over Jonathan Sanchez and A.J. Young at the
top spot.

The Frogs carried the momentum over to singles play, winning the first three
contests in straight sets to seal the victory.

Brighiu, a freshman from Iasi, Romania, led off the scoring with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Shubert at the No. 2 position.

Brink followed with a 6-2, 6-1 defeat of Mears at the No. 3 spot to put TCU up 3-0 in the match. Brink improved to 22-2 this spring with Friday’s victory.

Freshman Casey Powers clinched the match for TCU, topping Young at the No. 6 slot by a score of 6-3, 6-0.

The Frogs will face No. 2 New Mexico on Saturday at 10 a.m. CDT in the finals.

No. 1 TCU (19-7) def. No. 5 BYU (16-12), 4-0

SINGLES
1. No. 36 Cosmin Cotet (TCU) vs. Jonathan Sanchez (BYU) 6-1, 4-5, unf.
2. Emanu Brighiu (TCU) def. Thomas Shubert (BYU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Kriegler Brink (TCU) def. Cassidy Mears (BYU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Zach Nichols (TCU) vs. Evan Urbina (BYU) 7-5, 1-0, unf.
5. Adrian Simon (TCU) vs. Daniel Hwang (BYU) 6-2, 2-3, unf.
6. Casey Powers (TCU) def. A.J. Young (BYU) 6-3, 6-0

Order of Finish: 2, 3, 6*

DOUBLES
1. Brink/Brighiu (TCU) def. Sanchez/Young (BYU) 8-5
2. Cotet/Simon (TCU) def. Hwang/Shubert (BYU) 8-3
3. Mears/Urbina (BYU) def. Nichols/Seider (TCU) 8-5

Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1*

*Clinching point

FRESHMEN LEAD TCU PAST WYOMING

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 24, 2008)Top-seeded TCU blanked Wyoming by a score of 4-0 on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference Women’s Tennis
Championships at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. The Horned Frogs notched their 12th consecutive victory to improve to 19-4 overall this season.

“Wyoming came out and fought hard today,” said TCU head coach Jefferson Hammond.
“We were tested at a number of spots. Our freshmen came through at all three singles positions today and it was great to see them step up. Each match is its own battle and we have another battle tomorrow.”

The TCU duo of Nina Munch-Soegaard and Maria Babanova led off doubles play with an 8-3 victory over Michelle Brown and Carly Van Hollen at the No. 2 position, while Kewa Nichols and Idunn Hertzberg teamed up to defeat Brittany DeFelice and Jamie Nelson at the No. 3 slot by a score of 8-1 to clinch the doubles point.

Senior Andrea Morgado saw her first action of the season, teaming with Anna Sydorska at the top spot. The duo was up 6-3 in the match before the point was clinched.

TCU’s three freshmen all posted straight-sets victories to seal the match against the Cowgirls.

Katariina Tuohimaa began the scoring with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Van Hollen at the No. 3 position. Tuohimaa posted her team-leading 19th singles victory this spring with the win.

Babanova, a freshman from Moscow, Russia, followed with a 6-2, 6-4 defeat of DeFelice at the No. 6 slot to put TCU up 3-0 in the match. Babanova improved to a perfect 6-0 this season in limited play.

Fellow newcomer Hertzberg would clinch the match for the Frogs with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Michelle Brown at the No. 5 position to improve to 16-5 this season.

The Frogs will meet the winner of Thursday’s match between No. 4 Utah and No. 5 BYU in the semifinals on Friday at 2 p.m. CDT.

No. 1 TCU (19-4) def. No. 8 Wyoming (11-13), 4-0

SINGLES
1. No. 61 Nina Munch-Soegaard (TCU) vs. Corina Lazar (WYO) 7-5, 3-5, unf.
2. Rebecca Berger (WYO) vs. No. 106 Anna Sydorska (TCU) 6-4, 4-1, unf.
3. Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) def. Carly Van Hollen (WYO) 6-0, 6-2
4. Sarah Summerfield (WYO) vs. Kewa Nichols (TCU) 7-6(4), 0-3, unf.
5. Idunn Hertzberg (TCU) def. Michelle Brown (WYO) 6-3, 6-3
6. Maria Babanova (TCU) def. Brittany DeFelice (WYO) 6-2, 6-4

Order of Finish: 3, 6, 5*

DOUBLES
1. Morgado/Sydorska (TCU) vs. Berger/Lazar (WYO) 6-3, unf.
2. Munch-Soegaard/Babanova (TCU) def. Brown/Van Hollen (WYO) 8-3
3. Nichols/Hertzberg (TCU) def. DeFelice/Nelson (WYO) 8-1

Order of Finish: 2, 3*

*Clinching point

BAYLOR BASEBALL FALLS TO TEXAS 8-2

WACO, TEXAS (April 23, 2008) Two pinch hits helped Texas pull away late with a two-run seventh and a three-run ninth en route to an 8-2 victory over Baylor in a non-Big 12 Conference game Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (23-18) have lost five straight for the first time since May, 2006. The Longhorns (24-16) snapped a four-game losing streak with the win, its 10th straight against Baylor.

This was the first regular-season, non-conference meeting between Baylor and Texas since 1914, the year before the inception of the Southwest Conference. The Bears and the Longhorns last met in a non-Big 12 and non-Big 12 Tournament game in 2005 when the teams faced each other twice at the College World Series.

Landis Ware’s two-out, infield RBI single in the sixth pulled Baylor to within one run at 3-2. However, the Longhorns quickly answered with two runs on two hits and a Baylor error in the top of the seventh. Travis Tucker scored the first run with a sacrifice fly, and Kyle Lusson added a pinch-hit RBI single. Tant Shepherd’s pinch-hit, three-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth capped the scoring.

Texas starter Kenn Kasparek (2-3) earned the victory, holding the Bears to one run on two hits and three walks with seven strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Stayton Thomas went the rest of the way for his third save of the season; he allowed one run on two hits and a walk with five strikeouts over 4.0 innings.

Baylor starter Wade Mackey (2-3) took the loss; he surrendered three runs and six hits and a walk with one strikeout in 3.0 innings of work.

Jordan Danks’ two-out solo home run in the first inning opened the scoring. Russell Moldenhauer and Kyle Russell followed with consecutive doubles to give Texas an early 2-0 lead; the Longhorns never relinquished that lead.

The Bears had a chance to erase the deficit in the bottom of the first but could manage only one run on Adam Hornung’s RBI single. Baylor loaded the bases with one out, but Kasparek retired the next two batters to escape the jam.

Texas extended its lead to 3-1 in the third on a leadoff walk, a sacrifice bunt and a Russell RBI single. Meanwhile, Baylor managed just one hit – a Dustin Dickerson two-out single in the fifth – between Hornung’s first-inning RBI single and Aaron Miller’s sixth-inning, leadoff double.

Baylor returns to action Wednesday, traveling to San Marcos, Texas, to face Texas State. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT at Bobcat Field. The Bears send right-hander Tim Matthews (3-1, 2.73 ERA) to the mound for his fifth start of the season.

NOTES: Texas leads the all-time series 222-97-4, including an 87-55-3 advantage in games played in Waco. The Bears are 25-26 against Texas during head coach Steve Smith’s tenure. … Hornung (seven games) and Miller (three games) both extended hitting streaks, while Jon Ringenberg saw his career-long, five-game streak end. … Ware’s sixth-inning single snapped an 0-for-26 skid, prior to which he had not gone more than seven at bats without a hit this season. … Hornung extended his hitting streak at Baylor Ballpark to 17 games. … Shaver Hansen snapped hitting streaks of 17 games in non-conference play and 11 games in midweek action.

Georgia, TCU and Auburn Win Varsity Equestrian National Championships

WACO, TEXAS (April 22, 2008) The University of Georgia won its third overall Varsity Equestrian National Championship (VENC) at the Heart O’ Texas Fair Complex on Saturday in Waco, Texas. TCU won the Western national title while Auburn claimed the Hunter Seat Championship.

The Bulldog riders claimed their first national crown since 2004 without finishing first in either riding discipline, Hunter Seat or Western. Georgia’s strong finish in both disciplines, second in Western and third in Hunter Seat, allowed the Bulldogs to claim the team title.

“It’s an incredible feeling to come out on top in such a tough, tough competition,” said Georgia Head Coach Meghan Boenig. “The whole weekend was a roller-coaster emotionally. We are just ecstatic to be bringing the title back to Georgia.”

In just its second year of competition, TCU captured the national championship, thus finishing the season a perfect 15-0. The Frogs’ title match came with some drama as their match against the No. 2 seed Georgia came down to a tiebreaker won by the Frogs 1027-1026. The two teams battled to a 4-4 tie after splitting the Horsemanship and the Reining.

"God bless this team," said TCU Head Coach Gary Reynolds said. "I thank these girls who've worked so hard and sacrificed so much to get to this point."

The Auburn equestrian team won its first Hunter Seat National Championship defeating second-seed Texas A&M, 5-2. The title is the second national title for Auburn; the Tigers previously won the overall title in 2006.

"Our Hunt Seat team has been the strongest team at Nationals," said Auburn Head Coach Greg Williams. "The girls did a phenomenal job. It is so fun to win a discipline title like Hunt Seat.”

For the first time in VENC history, individual national championships were contested. South Carolina’s Kristin Terebesi swept Hunter Seat honors claiming the Equitation Over Fences title over Baylor’s Nicole Brown (162-160) and posting a 164-163 win over Georgia’s Haylie Jayne in Equitation on the Flat. In Western competition, Georgia’s Sarah Locker defeated Oklahoma State’s Leah Kuehn, 137-134, in Reining. Texas A&M’s Caroline Gunn claimed Horsemanship honors with a 155-148 victory over Georgia’s Laura Upton.

Overall Standings

1. Georgia
2. Texas A&M
3. Auburn
4. Oklahoma State
5. Kansas State

Western Team Finishes
1. TCU
2. Georgia
3. Kansas State
4. Oklahoma State
5. Texas A&M

Hunter Seat Team Finishes
1. Auburn
2. Texas A&M
3. Georgia
4. Oklahoma State
5. South Carolina

Individual Champions:

Hunter Seat
Equitation Over Fences: Kristin Terebesi - South Carolina
Equitation on the Flat: Kristin Terebesi - South Carolina

Western
Horsemanship: Caroline Gunn - Texas A&M
Reining: Sarah Locker – Georgia

BAYLOR BASEBALL DROPS HEARTBREAKER TO No. 19 TEXAS A&M 13-12

WACO, TEXAS (April 21, 2008) Blake Stouffer’s two-out RBI single in the top of the 11th plated Kyle Colligan with the eventual game-winning run as No. 19 Texas A&M rallied past Baylor 13-12 in Sunday’s Big 12 Conference series finale at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (23-17, 8-10) have lost four straight for the first time since a five-game skid in 2006. The Aggies (33-7, 15-3) have won 12 consecutive conference games.

While Stouffer’s single produced the deciding run, it was a play two pitches earlier that ultimately cost the Bears. After Colligan’s two-out single, Baylor’s Nick Cassavechia had an 0-1 count on Stouffer. Cassavechia picked to first and caught Colligan breaking for second. However, first baseman Dustin Dickerson’s throw to shortstop Beamer Weems at second was off line, and Colligan was able to slide in safely.

Baylor threatened in the bottom of the 11th but had two runners thrown out between third and home. Beamer Weems walked to lead off the inning, and Jon Ringenberg followed with a sharply hit fly ball right at Aggie left fielder Brodie Green. Gregg Glime then ripped a double to right-center, but Weems was thrown out at home.

Texas A&M then walked switch-hitting Shaver Hansen to face right-hander Raynor Campbell. On the first pitch to Campbell, Hansen broke for second. Texas A&M catcher Brian Ruggiano threw down to second, but the throw was cut off by Stouffer, who then fired home. Once Stouffer’s throw went home, Glime scrambled back to third; however, Ruggiano’s throw to third baseman Dane Carter was in time to retire Glime.

The game never would have gone to extra-innings, though, had it not been for the top of the ninth. Baylor led 12-6 with one out and a runner at first, but the next seven Texas A&M batters reached base safely as the Aggies rallied for six runs to tie the game. Dane Carter’s two-run homer started the scoring, and Russell Raley’s two-run single was the game-tying hit.

Texas A&M had chances to take the lead in the top of the 10th, but two Baylor defensive plays thwarted the Aggies’ efforts. With one out and runners at first and second, Darby Brown singled to right. Carter rounded third and was thrown out at the plate by Aaron Miller. Ruggiano then laced a ball down the third-base line, but Shaver Hansen snagged it on a diving play to his back-hand side.

Cassavechia struck out Greene and Raley to start the 11th before Colligan singled through the left side on a 1-1 count.

It was a bitter loss for Baylor, which suffered its first three-game series sweep at the hands of Texas A&M since 1996. The Bears also failed to stave off a sweep at home for only the second time in the 12-year history of the Big 12 (1998 Oklahoma State, 2007 Texas).

Travis Starling (6-0) picked up the win for Texas A&M; he allowed three runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts over 4.0 innings. Starter Clayton Ehlert lasted only 3.0 innings and allowed two runs on six hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

Cassavechia (0-3) was saddled with the loss, despite being the most effective of Baylor’s four relievers on the day. He allowed one run on four hits and no walks with three strikeouts over 2.2 innings. Starter Willie Kempf saw his strong start spoiled. He allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts over 6.2 innings. Kempf left the game with a 7-4 lead after surrendering a two-out, two-run homer to Colligan in the seventh.

The game was anything but typical. Texas A&M head coach Rob Childress was ejected in the top of the eighth while arguing a contact play at second base. Three pitches later, home plate umpire Doyle Sooter was hit by a pitch and was forced to exit the game; a two-man crew worked the remainder of the game.

Adam Hornung’s three-run homer capped a four-run fifth as the Bears claimed a 6-2 lead. Campbell’s sixth-inning RBI fielder’s choice pushed the Bears’ lead to 7-2 before Colligan’s seventh-inning homer. The Bears answered in the bottom of the inning on Glime’s two-out, two-run single. Texas A&M scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the eighth, but the Bears again answered in the bottom of the inning on Ben Booker’s two-run single and Weems’ RBI single.

Baylor finished the game with 22 hits, on shy of a school record for a Big 12 game. Hansen finished 4-for-6 with a home run. Campbell, Glime, Miller and Weems all produced three-hit games; Glime’s was the first of his career. Booker and Dickerson had two hits each, and all nine starters hit safely. Hornung led the Bears with three RBI; Booker, Glime and Weems each added two RBI.

Jose Duran led Texas A&M with four hits on the day. The Aggies finished with 18 hits, nine of which came after the eighth inning. Carter, Colligan, Greene, Raley, Ruggiano and Stouffer each had two RBI.

Baylor returns to action Tuesday, hosting Texas in a non-conference midweek game at Baylor Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised nationally on CBS College Sports (formerly CSTV).

NOTES: Texas A&M leads the all-time series 145-113-1; Baylor maintains a 72-69 advantage in games played in Waco. The Bears are 21-18 against the Aggies since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including a 20-16 edge in regular-season meetings. Baylor is 24-21 against Texas A&M during head coach Steve Smith’s tenure. … Hornung (six games) and Ringenberg (five games) both extended hitting streaks. … Hornung has hit safely in 16 consecutive home games. … Hansen led off the bottom of the first with a game-tying home run after the Aggies got an unearned run in the top of the first. It was Baylor’s second homer to lead off a game this season. This is the first time Baylor has produced more than one leadoff homer in a season since hitting five in 2003. … Baylor has five first-inning home runs this season, the most by a Baylor team since the Bears hit 17 first-inning homers in 2003.

Granollers-Pujol Upsets Blake to Win U.S. Clay Court Title

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (April 20, 2008) Marcel Granollers-Pujol upset top-seeded James Blake 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 today in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club on Houston. The win was the first tour title for the Spaniard.

Granollers-Pujol showed great determination, fighting back from 3-0 deficit in the third set. Blake had been hitting well, winning 18 of 19 points, but the Spaniard just would not give up. He clinched his first title when Blake hit a backhand long.

The 22-year-old, who came into the event ranked 84th in the world and seeded seventh, had never previously advanced past the quarter-finals of an ATP tournament but he battled back gamely against the world number eight to seal a deserved victory.

"It's the best day of my life, I think, and I'm very happy for this," Granollers-Pujol told reporters

"I've played tennis since I was very young and have always dreamed of a day like this," added the Spainiard, who jumped into the swimming pool at the River Oaks Country Club to celebrate his win.

ATP U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships Results-Day 7

RESULTS - APRIL 20, 2008 (Sunday)

Men's Singles - Finals
[7] M Granollers-Pujol (ESP) d [1] J Blake (USA) 64 16 75

BAYLOR BASEBALL FALLS TO No. 19 TEXAS A&M 11-1

WACO, TEXAS (April 20, 2008) No. 19 Texas A&M hit five home runs en route to an 11-1 victory over Baylor in Saturday night’s Big 12 Conference game at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (23-16, 8-9) have lost three straight games for the third time this season; Baylor has not suffered a four-game skid since 2006. The Aggies (32-7, 14-3) clinched the series with the victory after winning Friday’s series opener 2-1 at College Station.

Darby Brown’s one-out solo homer to right in the second broke a scoreless tie, but it was a six-run third that did in the Bears. Kyle Colligan led off the inning with a home run to left. After Blake Stouffer struck out looking, Dane Carter walked, and Jose Duran followed with a two-run homer to right-center. Texas A&M capped the inning with a Brian Ruggiano RBI single, a Ben Feltner RBI triple and a Kevin Gonzalez RBI single.

Baylor had a chance to immediately answer in the bottom of the inning. Beamer Weems and Jon Ringenberg had back-to-back singles to start the frame, and Gregg Glime advanced both with a sacrifice bunt. Shaver Hansen was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. However, Raynor Campbell grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Ruggiano led off the fifth with a homer to left-center. A three-run sixth capped the Aggies’ scoring on the night. Duran was hit by a pitch to open the inning, and Luke Anders followed with a two-run round-tripper to right-center.

The Bears cracked the scoreboard in the seventh when Adam Hornung hit the first pitch of the inning over the wall in left-center; it was his fourth homer of the season and extended his hitting streak at Baylor Ballpark to 15 games.

Texas A&M starter Barret Loux (3-1) picked up the win; he held Baylor scoreless on a pair of hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Hank Robertson surrendered Hornung’s home run, two singles and a walk with four strikeouts over the final 4.0 innings for his first career save.

Baylor starter Shawn Tolleson (4-2) took the loss; he allowed six runs on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts over 2.2 innings.

The series concludes Sunday at 2 p.m. CDT. Baylor sends right-hander Willie Kempf (5-1, 3.71 ERA) to the mound. Texas A&M counters with right-hander Clayton Ehlert (5-2, 3.00 ERA).

NOTES: Texas A&M leads the all-time series 144-113-1; Baylor maintains a 72-68 advantage in games played in Waco. The Bears are 21-17 against the Aggies since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including a 20-15 edge in regular-season meetings. Baylor is 24-20 against Texas A&M during head coach Steve Smith’s tenure. … Texas A&M tied a Baylor Ballpark record for home runs by a visiting team; Oklahoma also had five homers in a 16-12 Baylor victory April 23, 1999. … Hornung (five games) and Ringenberg (four games) both extended hitting streaks. Dustin Dickerson (five games) and Shaver Hansen (four games) both saw hitting streaks end. … Campbell saw his 11-game hitting streak in Big 12 play end.

ATP U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships Results-Day 6

RESULTS - APRIL 19, 2008 (Saturday)

Men's Singles - Semifinals
[1] J Blake (USA) d [8] O Hernandez (ESP) 63 76(3)
[7] M Granollers-Pujol (ESP) d W Odesnik (USA) 36 75 63

Men's Doubles - Finals
E Gulbis (LAT) / R Schuettler (GER) d [3] P Cuevas (URU) / M
Granollers-Pujol (ESP) 75 76(3)

ORDER OF PLAY - APRIL 20, 2008 (Sunday)

CENTER COURT

start 2:00 pm
[1] J Blake (USA) vs [7] M Granollers-Pujol (ESP) - SINGLES FINAL

ATP U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships Results-Day 5

RESULTS - April 18, 2008 (Friday)

Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
[1] J Blake (USA) d [5] A Calleri (ARG) 64 63
[8] O Hernandez (ESP) d [3] M Fish (USA) 62 76(5)
[7] M Granollers-Pujol (ESP) d M Daniel (BRA) 63 62
W Odesnik (USA) d S Roitman (ARG) 26 76(4) 61

Men's Doubles - Semifinals
[3] P Cuevas (URU) / M Granollers-Pujol (ESP) d M Daniel (BRA) / S
Roitman (ARG) 60 62
E Gulbis (LAT) / R Schuettler (GER) d [WC] H Armando (USA) / W Odesnik
(USA) 62 64

---------------------------------------------

ORDER OF PLAY - April 19, 2008 (Saturday)
CENTER COURT
start 2:00 pm
[7] M Granollers-Pujol (ESP) vs W Odesnik (USA)
[1] J Blake (USA) vs [8] O Hernandez (ESP)

Not Before 6:00 PM
E Gulbis (LAT) / R Schuettler (GER) vs [3] P Cuevas (URU) / M
Granollers-Pujol (ESP) - DOUBLES FINAL

Baylor Falls to No. 19 TAMU 2-1

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (April 19, 2008) Craig Fritsch hit Darby Brown with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, allowing the winning run to score, as Baylor dropped a 2-1 decision to No. 19 Texas A&M in Friday night's Big 12 Conference series opener at Olsen Field. The Bears (23-15, 8-8) dropped to 10-6 this season in one-run games. The Aggies (31-7, 13-3) improved to 25-5 at home this season.

Blake Stouffer walked with one out in the eighth, and Dane Carter followed with a bloop single down the line in left. That was the last batter Baylor starter Kendal Volz faced. Fritsch induced a ground ball off the bat of Jose Duran that appeared to be a possible double-play ball; however, second baseman Landis Ware could not field the ball cleanly and only was able to get the out at first. Fritsch then hit Luke Anders and Brown consecutively to force home Stouffer; both batters were hit on 1-1 counts.

That made a winner of Kyle Thebeau (3-2), who entered the game in the eighth and got the Aggies out of a jam. Shaver Hansen singled with two outs, forcing starter Brooks Raley from the game. Raynor Campbell followed with a single, but Thebeau struck out Dustin Dickerson looking to end the inning. Raley allowed one run on five hits and no walks with four strikeouts over 7.2 innings, while Travis Starling retired the Bears in order in the ninth for his eighth save of the season.

Volz (3-4) was saddled with the loss; he allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over 7.1 innings. All four of his losses this season have come in Big 12 road games, in which the Bears have given him a total of four runs of support.

Baylor broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth on Campbell's one-out RBI double down the left-field line. That lead was short-lived, though, as the Aggies tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Carter reached second on a Dickerson fielding error to leadoff the inning and advanced to third on Duran's single through the left side. Anders followed with a sacrifice fly to center.

Both teams finished the night with six hits. Campbell had Baylor's only two-hit game, while Carter and Duran both had two-hit games for the Aggies.

The series now shifts to Baylor Ballpark in Waco for the final two games. Baylor and Texas A&M meet Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CDT. The Bears send right-hander Shawn Tolleson (4-1, 3.44 ERA) to the mound. The Aggies counter with right-hander Barrett Loux (2-1, 5.00 ERA).

ATP U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships Results-Day 4

RESULTS - APRIL 17, 2008 (Thursday)

Men's Singles - Second Round
[1] J Blake (USA) d [Q] R Harrison (USA) 63 62
[5] A Calleri (ARG) d P Capdeville (CHI) 62 61
W Odesnik (USA) d [6] D Sela (ISR) 63 75
[7] M Granollers-Pujol (ESP) d P Luczak (AUS) 63 62
M Daniel (BRA) d N Massu (CHI) 76(3) 62
S Roitman (ARG) d I Kunitsyn (RUS) 63 76(3)

Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals
[3] P Cuevas (URU) / M Granollers-Pujol (ESP) d A Calleri (ARG) / D
Hartfield (ARG) 76(6) 64
[WC] H Armando (USA) / W Odesnik (USA) d P Luczak (AUS) / V Spadea
(USA) 76(5) 16 10-7
M Daniel (BRA) / S Roitman (ARG) d C Berlocq (ARG) / O Hernandez (ESP)
16 63 10-8

BAYLOR BASEBALL FACES OFF AGAINST # 19 TEXAS A&M

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

WACO, TEXAS (April 18, 2008) The Baylor Bears prepare for the annual Battle of the Brazos series against number 19 Texas A&M University. Friday, the Baylr Bears (23-14. 8-7) will face off against Texas A&M (30-7, 12-3) at 6:30pm CDT at Olsen Field in College Station.

They will retyurn to action on Saturday and Sunday at Baylor Ballpark in Waco with a 6:30pm CDT start and Saturday while Sunday's game will begin at 2:00pm CDT.

Saturday's game will be presented by H.E.B. while Sunday's game will be presented by Capstone Mechanical with free admission to all fans 12-years-old and under.

The Bears split a pair of midweek games against Dallas Baptist with the home team winning both games. Baylor took two of three at Kansas State last weekend and enters the Texas A&M series in a three-way tie for fourth in the Big 12 standings. The Bears are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have won six of their last seven conference games. Baylor is unranked in all four major polls but is among teams receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 30. The Bears are 6-10 on the road this season, all coming on opponents’ home fields, with a 3-6 mark on the road in Big 12 play. Meanwhile, Baylor is 17-4 at home, including a 5-1 mark in conference action, and 17-7 in weekend games.

The Aggies enter the weekend in first place in the Big 12 standings after a sweep of Oklahoma at home last weekend. Texas A&M ended a 13-game winning streak at home Tuesday night with an 11-2 loss to Rice. The Aggies are ranked 19th in this week’s Baseball America Top 25. The Aggies also are ranked eighth nationally in each of the three other major polls. Texas A&M is 24-5 at home this season, including an 8-1 mark in Big 12 play. The Aggies are 6-2 on the road, all coming on opponents’ home fields; Texas A&M is 4-2 on the road in conference action.

Baylor and Texas A&M have played eight common opponents this season — Kansas, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stephen F. Austin, UT Arlington and UTSA. The Bears are 11-6 against those eight times, while the Aggies are 15-2.

All Baylor baseball games are broadcast live on Waco’s 1660 ESPN Radio. Live streaming audio and GameTracker also are available for all Baylor baseball games online at www.BaylorBears.com, the official website of Baylor Athletics and a member of the CSTV Network. Live streaming video also is available for the Texas A&M series at www.AggieAthletics.com for the Friday game and at www.BaylorBears.com for the Saturday and Sunday games.

Navy and Army to be in Attendance at the US Men’s Clay Court Championship

HOUSTON, TEXAS (April 17, 2008) River Oaks Country Club and the USTA have provided tickets for members of the Navy and the Army to attend the evening matches of the US Men's Clay Court Championship tonight, Thursday, April 17, and tomorrow night, Friday, April 18, respectively. The evening matches, held at River Oaks Country Club, will not begin before 6 pm. The Navy will attend tonight's evening matches featuring James Blake (USA) vs. Ryan Harrison (USA) followed by Agustin Calleri (ARG)/Diego Hartfield (ARG) vs. Pablo Cuevas (URU)/Marcel Granollers-Pujol (ESP) in doubles. The Army will attend tomorrow's evening matches.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

ORDER OF PLAY - THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008

CENTER COURT

Start 12:00 noon
[7] M Granollers-Pujol (ESP) vs P Luczak (AUS)
M Daniel (BRA) vs N Massu (CHI)
P Capdeville (CHI) vs [5] A Calleri (ARG)

Not Before 6:00 PM
[1] J Blake (USA) vs [Q] R Harrison (USA)
A Calleri (ARG) / D Hartfield (ARG) vs [3] P Cuevas (URU) / M
Granollers-Pujol (ESP)

COURT 5

Start 12:00 noon
[6] D Sela (ISR) vs W Odesnik (USA)
S Roitman (ARG) vs I Kunitsyn (RUS)
P Luczak (AUS) / V Spadea (USA) vs [WC] H Armando (USA) / W Odesnik (USA)
C Berlocq (ARG) / O Hernandez (ESP) vs M Daniel (BRA) / S Roitman (ARG)

Houston Texans Players to Volunteer with Reliant Energy & Rebuilding Together Houston

HOUSTON, TEXAS (April 17, 2008) A pair of Houston Texans players will volunteer their time on Friday to help Reliant Energy and Rebuilding Together Houston (RTH) refurbish homes in the Denver Harbor neighborhood of Houston.

G Chester Pitts and LS Bryan Pittman will join a team of Reliant Energy employees as part of the company’s Weekend Home Repair Project will make repairs to six low-income homes in the Denver Harbor neighborhood just east of downtown.

Some of the scheduled improvements include: siding; painting; replacing windows and/or doors; tearing down and rebuilding a carport; and rebuilding of an external water heater enclosure.

Reliant Energy and RTH partner each spring and fall to make repairs to low-income homes of Reliant Energy customers. In 2007, Reliant Energy employees and volunteers helped repair 12 low-income Houston homes through the program. Since 2002, Reliant Energy has helped refurbish 29 low-income Houston homes with RTH.

ATP U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships Results-Day 3

RESULTS - APRIL 16, 2008 (Wednesday)

Men's Singles:

Second Round
[3] M Fish (USA) d [WC] H Armando (USA) 63 62
[8] O Hernandez (ESP) d D Young (USA) 64 64

First Round
[1] J Blake (USA) d [WC] K Nishikori (JPN) 64 64
N Massu (CHI) d [4] S Querrey (USA) 57 64 64
P Capdeville (CHI) d [Q] D Hartfield (ARG) 60 64
P Luczak (AUS) d [Q] H Levy (ISR) 64 64
M Daniel (BRA) d V Troicki (SRB) 63 64

Men's Doubles:

Quarterfinals
E Gulbis (LAT) / R Schuettler (GER) d C Haggard (RSA) / I Kunitsyn
(RUS) 62 67(4) 10-8

First Round
M Daniel (BRA) / S Roitman (ARG) d [2] E Butorac (USA) / A Fisher
(AUS) 36 63 12-10

ATP U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships Results-Day 2

First Round Results (Tuesday, April 15, 2008)

Singles First Round

Agustin Calleri (5), Argentina, def. Vince Spadea, United States, 6-4, 6-3.

Marcel Granollers-Pujol (7), Spain, def. Ernests Gulbis, Latvia, 6-2, 6-0.

Mardy Fish (3), United States, def. Rainer Schuettler, Germany, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Igor Kunitsyn, Russia, def. Tommy Haas (2), Germany, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Sergio Roitman, Argentina, def. John Isner, United States, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3.

Doubles First Round

Hugo Armando and Wayne Odesnik, United States, def. Ryan Harrison, United States, and Kei Nishikori, Japan, 6-4, 7-6 (5).

Peter Luczak, Australia, and Vince Spadea, United States, def. Scott Lipsky and David Martin (1), United States, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8 tiebreak.

Carlos Berlocq, Argentina, and Oscar Hernandez, Spain, def. Dudi Sela, Israel, and Viktor Troicki, Serbia, 7-5, 6-2.

Pablo Cuevas, Uruguay, and Marcel Granollers-Pujol (3), Spain, def. James Blake and Mardy Fish, United States, 6-2, 6-2.

ATP U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships Results-Day 1

First round results (Monday, April 14, 2008)

Donald Young, United States, def. Fernando Vicente, Spain, 6-3, 7-6 (5).

Wayne Odesnik, United States, def. Amer Delic, United States, 6-3, 6-3.

Hugo Armando, United States, def. Carlos Berlocq, Argentina, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.

Ryan Harrison, United States, def. Pablo Cuevas, Uruguay, 6-4, 6-3.

Dudi Sela (6), Israel, def. Robby Ginepri, United States, 7-6 (5), 6-2.

Oscar Hernandez (8), Spain, def. Juan Pablo Brzezicki, Argentina, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.


Doubles First Round

Ernests Gulbis, Latvia, and Rainer Schuettler, Germany, def. Harel Levy, Israel, and Jim Thomas (4), United States, 7-5, 6-0.

Chris Haggard, South Africa, and Igor Kunitsyn, Russia, def. Alex Reichel and Chris Wettengel, United States, 6-2, 6-3.

Agustin Calleri and Diego Hartfield, Argentina, def. Amer Delic and John Isner, United States, 7-6 (8), 4-6, 13-11 tiebreak.

FROGS SET FOR WEDNESDAY CONTEST AT SMU

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 15, 2008)Fresh off claiming a share of the Mountain West Conference regular season title on Sunday, the No. 36 TCU men’s tennis team will end the regular season with a Wednesday contest against No. 47 SMU in Dallas. The Horned Frogs are currently 18-6 overall this season and posted a conference mark of 5-1.

TCU senior Cosmin Cotet garnered a No. 36 national singles ranking in the latest ITA poll released on Tuesday. Cotet is currently 18-6 this season playing at the top singles position. Junior Kriegler Brink and Zach Nichols have both posted 21 dual-match wins this spring to lead the team. Including singles records from the fall, Brink currently ranks second in TCU men’s tennis history with a .833 winning percentage, while Nichols is currently tied for third with a percentage of .829.

SMU has posted an overall record of 18-7 this spring, and has won five consecutive contests, and eight of its last nine matches. The Mustangs are led by Robin Fahgen and David Kuczer, who are ranked No. 80 and No. 123, respectively, in singles play.

The Mustangs hold the slight 27-24 advantage over TCU in the overall series that dates back to the 1974 season. Last year, SMU edged TCU by a score of 4-3 in a thriller in Fort Worth.

After Wednesday’s match, the Frogs will prepare for the MWC Championships held on the campus of TCU beginning on April 24.

Baseball Preview: Baylor and Dallas Baptist

WACO, TEXAS (April 14, 2008) Baylor returns to action with a pair of midweek games, both against Dallas Baptist. The Bears host the Patriots for a 6:30 p.m. CDT first pitch Tuesday at Baylor Ballpark. The teams meet at Patriot Field in Dallas the follow night at 6:30. This is the third time this season Baylor has played two midweek games against the same team.

The Bears (22-13) took two of three at Kansas State over the weekend. After dropping the series opener 6-1, Baylor rebounded for a 5-4 win Saturday and a 3-0 victory in Sunday’s series finale. The Bears are 6-4 in their last 10 games. Baylor is 16-4 at home this season and 6-9 on the road, all on opponents’ home fields. The Bears are 5-6 in midweek games.

Dallas Baptist (22-9) has won 10 of its last 11 but did not play over the weekend. The Patriots have not played since winning 2-1 and 18-5 at Louisiana-Monroe last Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The previous week, Dallas Baptist won at Rice 3-2; it was the Patriots second victory over the Owls in as many meetings this season. DBU is 11-8 on the road this season, including a 7-4 mark on opponents’ home fields. The Patriots are 11-1 at home.

Baylor and Dallas Baptist have played six common opponents this season — Houston Baptist, Oklahoma, Oral Roberts, Stephen F. Austin, TCU and UT Arlington. The Bears are 6-6 against those five teams, while the Patriots are 9-6. Dallas Baptist is 0-2 against Big 12 Conference teams this season, dropping a pair of games at Oklahoma.

All Baylor baseball games are broadcast live on Waco’s 1660 ESPN Radio. Live streaming audio and GameTracker also are available for all Baylor baseball games online at www.BaylorBears.com.

Qualifiers Advance at Clay Court Championships in Houston

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (April 13, 2008) The four qualifier spots for the 2008 USA Men’s Flay Court Championships were determined Sunday at River Oaks County Club in Houston.. The four victors will enter the 32 player tournament on Monday with hopes of raising their ATP ranking and winning a chunk of the $436, 000 in prize money.

In the first match of the day, Diego Hartfield (Argentina) defeated Franko Skugor (Croatia) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the 1 hour 58 minute match. Hartfield is ranked 128th in the world, while Skugor is ranked 338th.

Harel Levy (Israel) defeated Scott Lipsky (USA) 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 to make the final round of 32. Levy is ranked 162th in the world, while Lipsky is currently ranked 1138th. Match time was 1 hour 58 minutes.

Fernando Vicente (Spain) dispatched Chris Wettengel (USA) 6-3, 6-3 in 1 hour 20 minutes. Vincente has a ranking of 173 while Wettengel is ranked 678th.

In the only upset of the day, Ryan Harrison of the USA (ranked 1280th) beat fellow American Alex Reichel (ranked 1014) 6-1, 6-4 in 1 hour 8 minuets.

Action continues Monday with matches (both singles and doubles) beginning at 12 noon. Evening matches are scheduled for 6:00 pm.

James Blake (USA) is the top seed with Tommy Haas (Germany), Mardy Fish (USA), and Sam Querrey (USA) rounding out the top four seeds.

BAYLOR BASEBALL BLANKS KANSAS STATE 3-0

MANHATTAN, KANSAS (April 13, 2008) Shawn Tolleson tossed a complete-game, four-hit shutout with a career-high 12 strikeouts as Baylor blanked Kansas State 3-0 in Sunday's Big 12 Conference series finale at Tointon Stadium. With the win, Baylor (22-13, 8-7) claimed the series victory two games to one, rebounding from a series-opener loss for the second time in Big 12 play this season. Kansas State (16-18, 3-9) was shutout in Big 12 play for the first time since a 3-0 loss to Missouri at home April 7, 2007.

Tolleson (4-1) joined Kyle Evans as the only Baylor pitchers to record multiple
complete-game shutouts in Big 12 play. Both Tolleson, who tossed a three-hit shutout in the Bears' 3-0 win against Oklahoma State last month, and Evans recorded both their shutouts in the same season. Evans had two, one of which was the league's first no-hitter, during the 2000 season.

Baylor scored all three runs in the third inning. Raynor Campbell started things with a one-out single, and Dustin Dickerson followed with a walk. Adam Hornung followed with a single up the middle to score Campbell.

The play was far from over, though. Kansas State centerfielder Dane Yelovich's throw home skipped away, allowing Dickerson to reach third and Hornung to reach second. Kansas State starter Lance Hoge was backing up the throw, but his attempt to get Dickerson at third sailed down the left-field line, allowing Dickerson to score. Aaron Miller followed with an RBI single to score Hornung from third.

That was all the offense Tolleson needed; although, the Bears had plenty of chances to break the game open. Baylor stranded 10 runners, all of which were in the game's first six innings and five of which were in scoring position. The Bears were 5-for-7 with two outs and no runners in scoring position but 0-for-5 with two outs and runners in scoring position.

Tolleson used 110 pitches on the day, 75 of which were strikes. He allowed singles in the first, fourth and seventh innings before Tyler Ruch's one-out bunt single in the ninth. Tolleson, whose previous career high for strikeouts was seven last weekend against Kansas, struck out the game's final two batters swinging.

Hoge (1-3) took the loss; he allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits and three walks with one strikeout over 2.2 innings.

Campbell finished the day 3-for-4, while Miller was 2-for-4. The Bears tallied 10 hits on the day.

Baylor returns to action Tuesday, hosting Dallas Baptist for a 6:30 p.m. CDT first pitch at Baylor Ballpark.

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 29-10, including a 10-8 edge in games played at Manhattan. The Bears are 28-9 against the Wildcats since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including a 28-8 mark in regular-season meetings. Campbell has hit safely in 10 consecutive Big 12 games, a career-long streak and the longest by a Baylor player since Ben Booker hit safely in 13 straight league games last season.

BAYLOR BASEBALL EDGES KANSAS STATE 5-4

MANHATTAN, KANSAS (April 12, 2008) Aaron Miller's pinch-hit, two-out RBI single in the top of the eighth gave Baylor a 5-4 victory at Kansas State in Saturday afternoon's Big 12 Conference action at Tointon Stadium. Baylor (21-13, 7-7) snapped a five-game losing streak at Kansas State (16-17, 3-8) that dated back to the 2004 season. The Bears also improved to 10-5 in one-run games, reaching double figures in one-run victories for the first time since the 2005 squad was 15-8.

Dustin Dickerson walked to leadoff the eighth and moved to second on Adam Hornung's sacrifice bunt. After Jon Ringenberg struck out, Miller laced 1-2 Daniel Edwards offering just inside the left-field line to score Dickerson and break a 4-4 tie. It was the first career pinch hit for Miller, who did not start for the first time this season.

Kansas State threatened in the bottom of the ninth. Nate Tenbrink led off with a
pinch-hit single through the right side. After an Adam Muenster sacrifice bunt pushed pinch runner Dane Yelovich to second, Jordan Cruz walked to put the potential winning run on base. However, Tim Matthews struck out Justin Bloxom and got Jason King to ground out, ending the game.

Craig Fritsch (2-2) was the first of three relievers for the Bears and earned the win; he allowed two runs on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 3.0 innings. Matthews recorded his second save of the season. Starter Willie Kempf allowed two runs on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts but left the game after loading the bases to start the fifth inning. Randall Linebaugh bridged the gap from Fritsch to Matthews with 1.1 scoreless innings.

Chase Bayuk (1-3) took the loss in relief; he allowed one run on no hits and two
walks with a strikeout over 1.1 innings. Starter Justin Murray was touched for four runs, two earned, on six hits and no walks with four strikeouts over 5.2 innings.

Baylor scored one run in five different innings, building leads of 3-0 and 4-1 before Kansas State tied the game in the seventh. Beamer Weems doubled with one out in the first, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Dickerson's RBI groundout. Raynor Campbell reached on a one-out error in the second, took third on Ben Booker's single and then scored on a Landis Ware groundout.

Campbell pushed the Bears' lead to 3-0 with a two-out solo homer to right in the
fourth; it was the first opposite-field homer of Campbell's career. Kansas State got on the board in the bottom of the inning. The Cats loaded the bases with three straight one-out singles. Byron Wiley beat out Baylor's double-play attempt to score a run, but Wiley was picked off first to end the inning.

Kansas State tied the game with two runs on two hits and a walk in the seventh. Muenster singled with one out and moved to second on a Cruz single. Bloxom then singled off the wall in right to score Muenster and push Cruz to third. King followed with a slow grounder to short, scoring Bloxom.

Seven Bears had one hit, while Dickerson and Campbell each scored twice. Bloxom's 2-for-5 day was the only multiple-hit outing of the day for either team.

Baylor and Kansas State conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m. CDT. The Bears send right-hander Shawn Tolleson (3-1, 4.15 ERA) to the mound. The Wildcats counter with southpaw Lance Hoge (1-2, 3.67 ERA).

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 28-10, including a 9-8 edge in games played at Manhattan. The Bears are 27-9 against the Wildcats since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including a 27-8 mark in regular-season meetings. Campbell has hit safely in nine consecutive Big 12 games.

NO. 24 TCU ROUTS BYU, 6-1

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO (April 11, 2008) The No. 24 TCU women’s tennis team won their ninth consecutive match on Friday to remain unbeaten in Mountain West Conference play with a 6-1 rout of No. 38 BYU at the Lobo Tennis Club. With the win, the Horned Frogs improved to 16-4 overall and 6-0 in MWC action.

“I’m excited to get the win against a really good BYU team today,” said TCU head coach Jefferson Hammond. “It’s a great start to a very tough weekend for us.”

TCU’s Maria Babanova and Nina Munch-Soegaard led off doubles play with an 8-4 win over Chie Hayasaka and Elie Carney at the No. 3 position. The freshman tandem of Idunn Hertzberg and Katariina Tuohimaa followed with an 8-3 rout of Dolly Chang and Kristina Doerr at the No. 2 spot to clinch the point, while the 12th-ranked TCU duo of Macall Harkins and Anna Sydorska completed the sweep with an 8-5 defeat of Jennifer Miccoli and Anastasia Surkova.

Tuohimaa would begin Friday’s impressive performances in singles play, shutting out Chang at the No. 4 spot by a score of 6-0, 6-0 for her team-leading 16th win this season.

Senior Kewa Nichols put the Frogs up 3-0 with a 6-3, 6-0 defeat of Elizaveta Ezhova at the No. 5 position, while Sydorska earned a 7-5, 6-0 win over Hayasaka at the No. 3 slot to clinch the match in the battle of unbeatens in league play.

Harkins remained hot in singles play, winning her 10th contest in the last 11 matches with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over No. 87 Doerr at the No. 2 position.

Hertzberg rounded out the scoring for the Frogs, defeating Carney at the No. 6 spot by a score of 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.

The Frogs will meet No. 54 Utah on Saturday and will wrap up MWC regular season play with a Sunday contest against No. 55 New Mexico.

No. 24 TCU (16-4, 6-0) def. No. 38 BYU (13-8, 5-1), 6-1

SINGLES
1. No. 65 Anastasia Surkova (BYU) def. No. 63 Nina Munch-Soegaard (TCU) 4-6,
7-5, 6-4
2. Macall Harkins (TCU) def. No. 87 Kristina Doerr (BYU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
3. No. 86 Anna Sydorska (TCU) def. Chie Hayasaka (BYU) 7-5, 6-0
4. Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) def. Dolly Chang (BYU) 6-0, 6-0
5. Kewa Nichols (TCU) def. Elizaveta Ezhova (BYU) 6-3, 6-0
6. Idunn Hertzberg (TCU) def. Elie Carney (BYU) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2

Order of Finish: 4, 5, 3*, 2, 6, 1

DOUBLES
1. No. 12 Harkins/Sydorska (TCU) def. Miccoli/Surkova (BYU) 8-5
2. Hertzberg/Tuohimaa (TCU) def. Chang/Doerr (BYU) 8-3
3. Babanova/Munch-Soegaard (TCU) def. Hayasaka/Carney (BYU) 8-4

Order of Finish: 3, 2*, 1

*Clinching point

C-USA Has Three Chosen in 2008 WNBA Draft

IRVING, TEXAS (April 10, 2008)Conference USA had three players selected in the 2008 WNBA Draft presented by adidas Wednesday afternoon at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Tampa, Fla.

UTEP was one of eight schools in the country to have multiple players chosen. Eight-time national champion Tennessee led the way with five selections, followed by LSU with three. The Miners, along with perennial national powers Maryland, North Carolina, Rutgers, Texas A&M and UCONN, all had two players drafted.

Miner seniors Natasha Lacy and Izabela Piekarska became the first players in program history to be selected. Lacy went as the 29th overall pick to the Detroit Shock in the second round, while Piekarska landed with the Sacramento Monarchs at No. 40 in the third round. Additionally, Rice's Valerya Berezhysnka was chosen by the Detroit Shock with the 42nd pick during the 3rd Round of the draft, giving Conference USA a total of three players tabbed to the league.

Berezhynska was the third Owl to be selected in the WNBA Draft. Rice's Marla Brumfield and Kirra Jordan were both taken in 2000 by the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm, respectively.

Lacy finished with more than 1,300 points, 750 rebounds, 600 assists and 300 steals in four years (three at TCU and one at UTEP). The AP Honorable Mention All-American played a large role in the Miners' record-setting 28-4 campaign. She finished eighth in the country in steals per game, setting the single-season school record with 108 total thefts in the process. The C-USA Newcomer of the Year was second on the squad in assists (156) and scoring (13.0 ppg), and third in rebounding (5.9 rpg) and total blocks (20).

Lacy, the second-team all-league honoree, was second in C-USA in steals, fifth in assists, sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio, 10th in defensive rebounding, 12th in scoring and 17th in overall rebounding.

Piekarska leaves UTEP as the program's all-time leading scorer and the only player in school history to register more than 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 blocked shots and 100 assists. Moreover, she is second all-time in blocked shots and third in rebounds and in three-pointers made.

The second-team All-C-USA honoree paced the Miners in blocked shots and 3-point percentage, while ranking second in rebounding and third in scoring. The native of Warsaw, Poland, also was second in the conference in blocked shots, and 15th in both rebounding and scoring.

Berezhynska participated in the WNBA Pre-Draft Camp last weekend at the University of Tampa. She headlined the Owls and C-USA, averaging 18.4 points and 12.6 rebounds per game in league play.

Berezhynska won a trio of C-USA Player of the Week honors and recorded the program's first career triple-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a nationally televised game at Tulane (Feb. 14)

The Ukraine native recorded double figures in 20 of her 23 appearances on the season and reached the 20-point mark eight times, including four of her last five regular season games. She tallied 10 double-doubles and ended her career 10th on Rice's scoring list with 1,076 points.

C-USA also had three players drafted in 2005 and had a league-best four selected in 2000.

FROGS PREPARE FOR THREE MWC CONTESTS

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 9, 2008) The No. 34 TCU men’s tennis team will travel to Provo, Utah, this weekend to wrap up the Mountain West Conference regular season against Utah, No. 54 San Diego State and No. 51 New Mexico. The Horned Frogs will have a shot at capturing their first MWC regular season title.

TCU is currently 16-5 overall this season and 3-0 in MWC play. Senior Cosmin Cotet, who has posted a 16-5 singles mark at the top position, leads the Frogs with a No. 35 national ranking. Junior Kriegler Brink holds a stellar 19-1 mark, while freshman Zach Nichols has gone 18-3 this season in singles play.

The Frogs will meet Utah on Thursday at 2:30 CDT in Provo. Utah is currently 10-9 overall and 2-2 in MWC action this season. Utah is coming off of two wins over Air Force and No. 54 San Diego State. The Utes’ doubles duo of Zach Ganger and John Taylor is ranked No. 57.

TCU has won all four contests in the all-time series with Utah that dates back to 1996. The Frogs defeated the Utes by a score of 5-2 last season in San Diego.

On Saturday, TCU will face the Aztecs of San Diego State, who are 12-8 overall and 1-2 in MWC play this season. San Diego State has dropped its last two matches to Utah and No. 51 New Mexico.

TCU holds the slight 3-2 advantage over San Diego State in the overall series between the two schools. The Aztecs edged the Frogs by a score of 4-3 during the
regular season last year in San Diego.

The Frogs will wrap up the MWC regular season with a Saturday showdown against No. 51 New Mexico. The Lobos are currently 16-6 this season and 4-0 in MWC action. New Mexico has won nine consecutive matches, including wins over Utah, Air Force and No. 54 San Diego State. The Lobos are led by senior Max Jones, who holds a No. 41 national singles ranking.

TCU holds a commanding 13-1 advantage over New Mexico in the series that dates back to 1977. Last season, TCU defeated New Mexico in Fort Worth by a score of 4-2 to secure the No. 2 seed in the MWC Championships.

USA Olympic Softball to Face Houston Cougars

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (April 8, 2009) The USA Softball Women’s National team continues the KFC Bound 4 Beijing this evening as they face the University of Houston.

Cat Osterman will be making an appearance in her hometown as the team faces the University of Houston at Houston's Memorial Park.

The Red, White and Blue have put together a 18-1 record so far on the Bound 4 Beijing Tour with its last game a 1-0 loss to Virginia Tech. Angela Tincher threw a no-hit performance to give the team its first pre-Olympic exhibition tour loss since 1996.

However the team has dominated on the KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour outscoring opponents, 174-4, while the pitching staff has allowed only 30 hits in a combined 119.0 innings pitched.

Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) leads the team with 29 RBI, while holding a team-high eight doubles, 31 hits and runs scored with 24. Osterman (4-0) leads from the circle with 10 appearances and 64 strikeouts.

BAYLOR BASEBALL SWEEPS KANSAS 17-7

WACO, TEXAS (April 7, 2008) Four Bears homered in a 16-hit attack Sunday as Baylor defeated Kansas 17-7 in seven innings in the Big 12 Conference series finale at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (19-11, 6-6) have won four straight Big 12 games with their third three-game series sweep of the season (Purdue, at Mississippi State). Kansas (19-16, 1-8) has lost six straight conference games.

Baylor’s 17 runs were its most in a Big 12 game since a 19-18 loss May 22, 2004, at Texas Tech. The Bears tied a season high with 11 extra-base hits on the day; Baylor finished the series with 41 hits in three games, including 18 extra-base hits, with 19 walks against 17 strikeouts.

Aaron Miller got the scoring started for the Bears with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first. Baylor added six runs on five hits and two walks in the second. Shaver Hansen started the scoring with an RBI triple, and Beamer Weems followed with an RBI double. After a couple walks loaded the bases, Raynor Campbell cleared the bags with a three-run triple. Ben Booker followed with an RBI double.

Dustin Dickerson’s two-run homer in the third staked the Bears to an 11-0 lead. Erik Morrison belted the first of his two home runs on the day in the top of the fourth, a two-run shot to left. Weems’ responded with a two-run homer of his own in the fifth; it was his second career left-handed home run at Baylor Ballpark.

Kansas scratched for a run in the top of the sixth before the Bears scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to put the game nearly out of reach. Miller and Jon Ringenberg had consecutive RBI doubles, and Booker followed with a two-run homer to right. The Jayhawks scored three runs in the top of the seventh, the last three of which came on Morrison’s second round-tripper; however, that was as close as Kansas would get.

Baylor starter Willie Kempf (5-1) earned the win; he allowed three runs on six hits and four walks with a season-high five strikeouts over 5.1 innings.

Kansas starter Sam Freeman (4-1) took the loss; he was touched for seven runs on five hits and three walks with a strikeout in 1.1 innings.

Every Baylor starter reached base safely, and eight of the nine produced at least one hit. Weems and Landis Ware both had three-hit games. Miller tallied four RBI, while Booker, Campbell and Weems each had three RBI. Weems scored four times, a career high, and Miller scored three times.

Baylor returns to action Tuesday, hosting TCU for a 6:30 p.m. CDT first pitch at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears also host UT Arlington at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to conclude a six-game home stand.

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 36-5, including a 20-1 advantage in Waco. The Bears are 31-5 against Kansas since the inception of the Big 12. Baylor is 11-1 in series against Kansas, winning 11 straight since losing the initial series in 1997. This was Baylor’s eighth sweep in series history. … Dickerson (seven games), Booker (five games), Adam Hornung (five games) and Campbell (three games) all extended hitting streaks. … Campbell has hit safely in seven straight Big 12 games, while Dickerson has hit safely in five straight conference games. … Baylor improved to 16-4 this season when the starting pitcher lasts at least 5.0 innings. … Baylor scored in each of the first two innings in consecutive games for the first time this season. The Bears scored in the first three innings for the third time this season and for the first time since the 11th game of the season (second game at Mississippi State). … Baylor improved to 7-1 on Sunday this season, including a 5-1 in three-game series finales.

USA Olympic Softball Beats NSMU 21-0

LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO (April 6, 2008) Setting KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour highs with 26hits and six homeruns, the USA Softball Women’s National team shut out New Mexico State, 21-0, today in Las Cruces, New Mexico. In front of a sold out crowd, every player in the lineup logged a hit with Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.) leading the way with five RBI, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two homeruns.

The team opened up with back to back singles by Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) and Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.). Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) hit into a double play but the U.S. put up two runs in the first on a two-out rally. Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, Calif.) drew her first intentional walk of the KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour with Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.) following with her own walk. A wild pitch by NSMU hurler Kim Watson allowed Lowe to score while Andrea Duran (Selma, Calif.) cushioned the lead to 2-0 with a shot to right field.

Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) earned the start in the circle battling the first two batters deep into the count but allowing no runners to reach.

Lovie Jung (Fountain Valley, Calif.) started the second inning with a full count shot over the left field fence and would have the help of her teammates with a two-RBI single by Bustos and a RBI double by Mendoza to push the lead to 7-0. Back-to-back homeruns by Kretschman and Duran gave the team a 9-0 lead and brought in new pitcher Samantha Dillard. Watson earned the loss allowing 10 hits and nine earned runs. Dillard allowed two hits, to Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.) and Jung, but allowed no runs to be scored.

Stacey Lien broke up the no-hitter with a single to left field in the second inning. Kristi Randall was hit by a pitch and Abbott loaded the bases with a walk issued to Brittany Clifton. However a strikeout left three Aggie runners stranded.

Watley singled to start the third and would score off a homerun by the bat of Bustos to take the lead to 11-0. The fourth inning brought in another pitcher for NMSU and it proved to be the correct choice as they shutout the team in the fourth inning.

Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.) entered the game in the bottom of sixth after Abbott threw five innings of scoreless play to earn the win. Abbott (4-0) allowed only one hit, striking out nine batters along the way.

After being shutout for three innings, the USA offense exploded with 10 runs off nine hits including homeruns by Mendoza and Kretschman. Also aiding the long ball were two-RBI double by Jung, two-RBI single by Watley and RBI singles by Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.) and Lisa Fernandez (Long Beach, Calif.) to give the team a 21-0 victory.

Finch threw two complete innings striking out two, allowing no hits.

The team will continue its trek on the KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour with a stop in Houston, Texas, on April 8th where they will take on the University of Houston at 7:30 p.m.

BAYLOR BASEBALL DOUBLES UP KANSAS 12-6

WACO, TEXAS (April 6, 2008) Six batters produced multiple-hit games, and Dustin Dickerson homered as Baylor defeated Kansas 12-6 in Saturday night’s Big 12 Conference game at Baylor Ballpark. Following Friday night’s 4-3 victory, the Bears (18-11, 5-6) have clinched their second Big 12 series in four tries this season. Kansas (19-15, 1-7) has lost five straight conference games.

Dickerson started the scoring for the Bears with a two-run homer down the left-field line in the bottom of the first. Baylor added a pair of runs in the second on Ben Booker’s RBI triple and Greg Glime’s RBI double. Landis Ware had an RBI double, and Shaver Hansen had a two-run single as Baylor pushed its lead to 7-0 in fourth.

Kansas got on the board in the fifth on Tony Thompson’s one-out solo homer. The Bears responded for three runs in the bottom of the inning as five consecutive batters reached base after the Jayhawks retired the first two Baylor batters of the inning.

The Jayhawks did not go quietly, though, scoring four in the sixth and another in the seventh to pull back within four runs at 10-6. That was as close as Kansas would get as the Bears added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Baylor starter Shawn Tolleson (3-1) picked up the win; he allowed five runs on five hits and three walks with a career-high seven strikeouts over 5.2 innings. Craig Fritsch and Mace Thurman closed out the game for the Bears, each recording three strikeouts.

Kansas starter Andres Esquibel (2-2) took the loss; in 4.0 innings, he allowed seven runs on seven hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

Booker finished with three hits on the night and scored a career-high tying three runs, while Glime was 2-for-3 with a career-high three RBI. Raynor Campbell, Hansen, Adam Hornung and Ware added two hits each, while Campbell, Dickerson and Ware each scored twice.

For the second straight night, two Jayhawks produced five of the teams’ eight hits; Thompson was 3-for-4, while Ryne Price was 2-for-5 with a three-run homer.

Baylor and Kansas conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m. CDT. The Bears send right-hander Willie Kempf (4-1, 3.41 ERA) to the mound. The Jayhawks counter with southpaw Sam Freeman (4-0, 6.75 ERA).

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 35-5, including a 19-1 advantage in Waco. The Bears are 30-5 against Kansas since the inception of the Big 12. … Dickerson (six games), Booker (four games) and Hornung (four games) all extended hitting streaks. … Campbell has hit safely in six straight Big 12 games, while Dickerson has hit safely in four straight conference games. … Baylor improved to 15-4 this season when the starting pitcher lasts at least 5.0 innings. … Baylor pitchers have tallied at least 10 strikeouts in three consecutive games for the first time since a three-game run March 20-24, 2007 (Texas Southern, Texas Tech, Texas Tech). … Baylor scored in the first inning for the first time in Big 12 play this season. The Bears also scored in each of the first two innings for the first time since the 11th game of the season (second game at Mississippi State).

Bay Area Toros Continue To Sign for 2008 Season.

TEXAS CITY, TEXAS (April 5, 2008) As the May 1 training camp reporting date nears, the Bay Area Toros continue to strengthen their roster with the addition of three more outstanding players from around the country. Toros GM and COO Mike Pede announced today the signing of Nicholas Czekaj (IF, Branford, CT), Drew Taddia (OF, Huntington Park, CA) and Matt Morris (P, Union Bridge, MD). The three join the roster that now includes 10 returning players from 2007 and recent signees.

Morris, a righthand hurler from Maryland will bolster a new and improved rotation for the Toros. “We look forward to adding Matt to our rotation and seeing what he can do,” said Pede, “ he will come here in shape and hopefully make an immediate impact on our squad.” A graduate of Franklin High School, Morris last attended Columbia Union, completing his eligibility in 2008.

Czekaj, predominantly a first baseman, be the favorite to win the job on the corner coming into camp. “Nick is going to really need to hit for us to be successful. Everything I have found about him has been really positive,” said Pede. Czekaj comes to the Toros from Branford, CT and Southern Connecticut.

Drew Taddia, a versatile outfielder from Huntington Park, CA and originally from Calgary, Alberta will bring speed and a good bat to the Toros lineup. He will be joined in the outfield by returner Kyle Wade, who was one of the Toros leading hitters in 2007.

The Bay Area Toros will have several more releases of signings in the upcoming days to round out an invitation list that will number to 30 for training camp in Texas City.

The Toros will hold training camp in Texas City at Robinson Stadium beginning May 1, 2008. The teams second season in the CBL begins at home on May 23 against the Corpus Christi BeachDawgs at 6:00 p.m. The team will be continuously announcing signings over the next few weeks until the 25 man roster is complete for second year Manager Jim Bolt.

For more information on Bay Area Toros Baseball, go to http://www.bayareatoros.com/.

FROGS STAY PERFECT IN MWC WITH WIN OVER AZTECS

LAS VEGAS, NEVEDA (April, 5, 2008) The No. 24 TCU women’s tennis team defeated San Diego State by a score of 5-2 on Saturday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex for their eighth consecutive victory. The Horned Frogs improved to 15-4 overall and 5-0 in Mountain West Conference action, while San Diego State fell to 7-11 on the season and 0-4 in league play.

“I’m happy we were able to get two good Mountain West road wins this week,” said TCU head coach Jefferson Hammond. “The doubles was tight today so it was great to win the point because it helped us relax as we moved into singles play. I’m extremely pleased with how the team is conducting themselves on and off the court, and we need to keep this momentum going forward as we get set to play BYU on Friday.”

TCU’s Macall Harkins and Kewa Nichols began doubles play with an 8-6 victory over Milana Yusupov and Esther Cadua at the No. 3 position, while Katariina Tuohimaa and Nina Munch-Soegaard clinched the point with an 8-6 win over Kathryn Kitts and Eliska Krausova at the top spot. The Frog duo of Maria Babanova and Anna Sydorska would complete the sweep with an 8-7(2) over Holly Bagshaw and Sisse Nielsen.

The Frogs posted three dominating straight-sets wins to quickly jump out to the 4-0 lead to clinch the match.

Harkins led off singles play with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Julia Trunk at the No. 2 position. With the win, Harkins has now won nine of her last 10 singles contests.

Munch-Soegaard, ranked No. 63 nationally, routed Bagshaw at the top spot by a score of 6-0, 6-1, while Babanova followed with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Nielsen at the No. 6 position to seal the match for TCU.

Sydorska put the Frogs up 5-0 in the match as the Lviv, Ukraine, native defeated
Krausova at the No. 3 slot by a score of 6-3, 1-6, 6-1. Sydorska, ranked No. 86 in singles play, posted her fifth consecutive win on Saturday to improve to 12-5 this season.

The Frogs will face a tough test on Friday against No. 39 BYU, who is also undefeated in MWC play.

No. 24 TCU (15-4, 5-0) def. San Diego State (7-11, 0-4), 5-2

SINGLES
1. No. 63 Nina Munch-Soegaard (TCU) def. Holly Bagshaw (SDSU) 6-0, 6-1
2. Macall Harkins (TCU) def. Julia Trunk (SDSU) 6-1, 6-0
3. No. 86 Anna Sydorska (TCU) def. Eliska Krausova (SDSU) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1
4. Esther Cadua (SDSU) def. Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) 3-6, 7-6(3), 10-7
5. Milana Yusupov (SDSU) def. Kewa Nichols (TCU) 6-4, 6-4
6. Maria Babanova (TCU) def. Sisse Nielsen (SDSU) 6-0, 6-2

Order of Finish: 2, 1, 6*, 3, 5, 4

DOUBLES
1. Munch-Soegaard/Tuohimaa (TCU) def. Kitts/Krausova (SDSU) 8-6
2. Babanova/Sydorska (TCU) def. Bagshaw/Nielsen (SDSU) 8-7(2)
3. Harkins/Nichols (TCU) def. Cadua/Yusupov (SDSU) 8-6

Order of Finish: 3, 1*, 2

*Clinching point

NO. 24 TCU OUTLASTS UNLV, 4-3

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (April 4, 2008) The No. 24 TCU women’s tennis team won their seventh consecutive match on Friday with a 4-3 victory over No. 58 UNLV at the Fertitta Tennis Complex in Las Vegas, Nev. The Horned Frogs improved to 14-4 overall and 4-0 in Mountain West Conference play, while UNLV dropped to 9-8 on the season and 1-2 in MWC action.

“We competed very hard today,” said TCU head coach Jefferson Hammond. “This was a big conference win for us. We have San Diego State tomorrow and we’re looking forward to another great match.”

TCU’s duo of Idunn Hertzberg and Katariina Tuohimaa led off doubles play with an 8-3 victory over Sharon Marin and Nikol Dimitrova at the No. 2 position. After TCU’s 12th-ranked duo of Macall Harkins and Anna Sydorska fell at the top spot to the No. 48 tandem of Elena Gantcheva and Kristina Nedeltcheva, Nina Munch-Soegaard and Maria Babanova came through with an 8-6 victory over Katy Williams and Anna Maskalijun to clinch the crucial doubles point.

The Frogs jumped out to the 3-0 lead with wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions.
Harkins, a junior from Palos Verdes, Calif., routed Nedeltcheva by a score of 6-3, 6-3. The win was Harkins’ eighth in the last nine matches.

Sydorska followed with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Dimitrova at the No. 3 singles position. The Lviv, Ukraine, native improved to 11-5 this season with the win.

The Rebels stormed back, beginning at the top position, where No. 35 Gantcheva topped No. 63 Munch-Soegaard by a score of 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

UNLV would win the match in three sets at the No. 6 spot to close to lead to 3-2 before Tuohimaa answered with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 win over Maskalijun to clinch the match for the Frogs. Tuohimaa was down 3-0 in the final set and managed to rally
back to earn her 15th victory this season.

TCU will look to remain unbeaten in conference play on Saturday at 12 p.m. CDT
against San Diego State in Las Vegas.

No. 24 TCU (14-4, 4-0) def. No. 58 UNLV (9-8, 1-2), 4-3

SINGLES
1. No. 35 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. No. 63 Nina Munch-Soegaard (TCU) 6-1,
3-6, 6-3
2. Macall Harkins (TCU) def. Kristina Nedeltcheva (UNLV) 6-3, 6-3
3. No. 86 Anna Sydorska (TCU) def. Nikol Dimitrova (UNLV) 6-1, 6-4
4. Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) def. Anna Maskalijun (UNLV) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
5. Katy Williams (UNLV) def. Kewa Nichols (TCU) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3)
6. Sharon Marin (UNLV) def. Idunn Hertzberg (TCU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1, 6, 4*, 5

DOUBLES
1. No. 48 Gantcheva/Nedeltcheva (UNLV) def. No. 12 Harkins/Sydorska (TCU) 8-4
2. Tuohimaa/Hertzberg (TCU) def. Marin/Dimitrova (UNLV) 8-3
3. Munch-Soegaard/Babanova (TCU) def. Williams/Maskalijun (UNLV) 8-6

Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3*

*Clinching point

Baylor Faces Off Against Kansas in College Baseball Action

WACO, TEXAS (April 4, 2008) Baylor returns to action this weekend, hosting Kansas for a three-game Big 12 Conference series at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears and the Jayhawks meet Friday at 6:30 p.m. CDT, Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. This is the fourth Big 12 series for Baylor and the third for Kansas.

The Bears (16-9, 3-6) have lost four of their last five and seven of their last 10 after dropping a pair of midweek games. Baylor lost 3-2 Tuesday night at TCU and 11-7at home Wednesday night against UTSA. The Bears, who lost two of three at Oklahoma last weekend, are 5-10 since opening the season 11-1. Baylor is unranked in this week’s Baseball America Top 25; the Bears are among teams receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll and ranked 29th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 30. Baylor is 12-3 at home this season, including a 2-1 mark in Big 12 play.

The Jayhawks (19-13, 1-5) defeated St. Mary’s [Kan.] 13-0 at home Wednesday night to snap a four-game losing streak. Kansas was swept at home last weekend against Texas A&M and dropped a 7-3 decision Tuesday night at Wichita State. Unranked in all four major polls, Kansas is 10-9 away from home this season, including a 2-4 record on opponents’ home fields; the Jayhawks are 1-2 on the road in Big 12 play, dropping a series at Texas in mid-March.

All Baylor baseball games are broadcast live on Waco’s 1660 ESPN Radio. Live streaming audio and GameTracker also are available for all Baylor baseball games online at www.BaylorBears.com, the official website of Baylor Athletics and a member of the CSTV Network. Live streaming video also is available for the Kansas series at http://www.baylorbears.com/.

NO. 24 TCU SET TO FACE UNLV, SAN DIEGO STATE

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 3, 2008) The No. 24 TCU women’s tennis team will travel to Las Vegas this weekend to meet No. 58 UNLV and San Diego State in two Mountain West Conference contests. The Horned Frogs are currently 13-4 overall and 3-0 in MWC play.

The Frogs have won six consecutive matches, including three routs last weekend to open the MWC regular season. TCU garnered a No. 24 national ranking in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll released on Tuesday.

In singles play, Nina Munch-Soegaard moved three spots to No. 63 nationally.
Munch-Soegaard, a sophomore from Amarillo, Texas, has posted an 11-5 record this
season at the top position. Junior Anna Sydorska earned a No. 86 singles ranking
after earning a 10-5 record at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions.

The TCU doubles duo of Sydorska and Macall Harkins remained at No. 12 nationally
after not competing together last weekend. The Frog tandem is 12-2 overall this
season, with four wins coming against nationally ranked opponents.

TCU will meet No. 58 UNLV on Friday at 12 p.m. CDT. The Rebels are currently 9-7
overall and 1-1 in the MWC. UNLV dropped four consecutive matches before earning
a win over No. 54 Utah on Saturday. Senior Elena Gantcheva leads the Rebels with
a No. 35 singles ranking, while the duo of Gantcheva and Kristina Nedeltcheva is
ranked No. 48 in doubles play.

The two teams have met five teams in the series, as UNLV holds the slight 3-2
advantage. TCU and UNLV split contests last season, as the Frogs defeated UNLV
by a score of 5-2 in Fort Worth, and UNLV defeated TCU by a score of 4-2 in the
MWC Championship semifinals.

The Frogs will follow Friday’s match with a Saturday contest at 12 p.m. CDT
against San Diego State. The Aztecs are currently 7-9 overall this season and
0-2 in MWC play. San Diego State is coming off of losses to No. 54 Utah and No.
39 BYU last weekend to open conference play.

TCU holds a 2-1 advantage in the series against San Diego State that dates back
to the 2003 season. Since joining the MWC in 2006, the Frogs have defeated the
Aztecs by scores of 7-0 and 6-1.

BAYLOR BASEBALL FALLS TO UTSA 11-7

WACO, TEXAS (April 2, 2008) A pair of five-run innings proved detrimental for Baylor in Wednesday night’s midweek action at Baylor Ballpark as the Bears dropped an 11-7 decision to UTSA. The Bears (16-11) snapped a 23-game winning streak against UTSA (19-10), a streak that dated back to the 1994 season. Baylor also snapped a 13-game winning streak against Southland Conference teams, suffering its first loss to an SLC team since a 7-0 loss to McNeese State in 2006.

Michael Rockett’s three-run double keyed a five-run third inning for UTSA. The Roadrunners scored a run on three consecutive singles to start the inning. After a sacrifice bunt and a walk loaded the bases, Rockett cleared the bases with double to left-center. Rockett moved to third on a fly out and then scored on a wild pitch.

Baylor got a pair of runs back in the fourth on Ben Booker’s pinch-hit, two-out, two-run single to right. However, UTSA put another five-spot on the board in the seventh. Zach Ethredge capped the inning with three-run home run down the line in left.

After UTSA scrapped for a run in the top of the eighth to make it 11-2, Baylor put together a strong comeback that eventually led to the tying run reaching the plate in the ninth. Beamer Weems’ two-run homer in the eighth cut the deficit to 11-4. Booker pulled the Bears to within four runs with a three-run homer to right-center later in the inning.

Baylor loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth thanks to a Dustin Dickerson single and walks by Weems and Aaron Miller. However, Zach Calhoon struck out Landis Ware to quell the threat.

UTSA starter Kris Ruepke (2-2) earned the victory and pitched much better than his final line indicated. He allowed six runs on seven hits and five walks with six strikeouts over 7.2 innings. Ruepke left the game just before Booker’s three-run homer in the eighth after using 138 pitches.

Baylor starter Wade Mackey (2-2) took the loss; he allowed five runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts over 3.0-plus innings, facing one batter in the fourth.

Booker and Dickerson both had two-hit nights, while Booker tied his career high with five RBI. It was his second consecutive game with a home run.

Baylor returns to action this weekend, hosting Kansas for a three-game Big 12 Conference series. The Bears and the Jayhawks meet Friday at 6:30 p.m. CDT, Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 25-3, including an 18-2 advantage in games played in Waco. The Bears are 23-1 against the Roadrunners during head coach Steve Smith’s tenure. … Baylor allowed 11 runs against UTSA, the most runs allowed by a Baylor team in a midweek home game since a 14-11 win over UTSA in 1999. … Weems’ home run was the 20th of his career. … Shaver Hansen (seven games), Ware (six games) and Dickerson (four games) all extended hitting streaks. Ware’s ties his career long.

BAYLOR BASEBALL AT TCU DELAYED

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 2, 2008) First pitch for Tuesday's game between Baylor and TCU has been postponed until 7:45 p.m. CDT. The delay was made necessary because Baylor's team bus broke down en route to Fort Worth. Baylor arrived at Lupton Stadium at 6:40 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on CBS College Sports (formerly CSTV).