Saturday, February 23, 2008

BAYLOR BASEBALL RALLIES PAST PURDUE 11-10

WACO, TEXAS (February 23, 2008) Ben Booker’s RBI fielder’s choice in the 11th gave No. 15 Baylor an 11-10 victory over Purdue Saturday at Baylor Ballpark. With the win, the Bears (2-0) clinched the series against the Boilermakers (0-2).

In a back-and-forth game, Baylor overcame deficits of 4-0, 5-1 and 10-8 for the victory. Gregg Glime led off the 11th with a walk and took second on a wild pitch. After a one-out Landis Ware bunt single put runners on the corners, Booker slapped a ground ball to the right side of the infield. Purdue second baseman Ben Wolgamot made a glove-side sliding stop and was able to get Ware at second, but Booker beat out the throw to first.

Erik Forestiere (1-0) earned the victory in relief. Baylor’s fifth pitcher of the day, Forestiere allowed one hit in 2.0 scoreless innings for the first win of his Baylor career. It was Forestiere’s first appearance since Feb. 25, 2006; he missed the remainder of that season and all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Purdue jumped out to an early lead with a four-run first. The Boilermakers answered Baylor’s single spot in the bottom of the first with another run in the second. Baylor took its first lead with a six-run fourth that was capped by Shaver Hansen’s grand slam. It was Baylor’s first grand slam since Michael Griffin’s against Texas Southern in 2005.

However, Purdue did not go quietly. After Baylor got an unearned run in the sixth, Purdue scored five runs on three hits and a pair of crucial Baylor errors in the seventh to reclaim the lead at 10-8. Ware’s seventh-inning sacrifice fly pulled the Bears to within a run, and Adam Hornung’s eighth-inning RBI single knotted the score at 10-10.

Baylor starter Shawn Tolleson was touched for five runs on six hits and four walks with three strikeouts over 2.1 innings. Purdue starter Matt Jansen did not fair much better, allowing seven runs, six earned, on six hits and a walk over 3.1 innings.

Tony Sedlmeyer (0-1) took the loss for Purdue. The Boilermakers’ sixth pitcher on the day, Sedlmeyer allowed a run on one hit and two walks with a strikeout over 1.2 innings.

Hansen finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, while Miles was 3-for-6 with a run and an RBI. Ware was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI; Hornung also had two hits on the day.

Baylor and Purdue conclude their three-game series Sunday at noon. The Bears send right-hander Willie Kempf (2-2, 3.00 ERA in 2007) to the mound. The Boilermakers counter with right-hander Alan Donato (1-3, 5.83 in 2007).

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 2-0. … The Bears have won six consecutive home games, dating back to last season. … Hansen’s grand slam ended a streak of 168 games without a grand slam for Baylor. … Baylor has won four consecutive home games in which the opponent scores in the first inning. The Bears are 7-2 in such games since the start of the 2007 season.

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