University of Missouri
Baylor
Mizzou Closes Out Regular Season with Comeback Win
5/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 22, 2005
WACO, Texas - - A six-run eighth inning for No. 20 Mizzou helped lead the Tigers to a 10-4 win over Baylor in the regular season finale in Waco, Texas on Sunday. MU trailed by two heading into the eighth inning, but scored nine runs in its final two at-bats to take the victory.
Missouri (37-19, 16-11 Big 12) finishes the regular season fourth in the Big 12 Conference standings and will open up the Big 12 Tournament against fifth-seeded Oklahoma at 5 p.m. on Wednesday in Oklahoma City, Okla.
With Baylor leading 3-1 after seven innings, Mizzou scored six runs in the eighth inning to take the lead and build a four-run lead. After the first batter grounded out, the next five reached safely and all five would score in the inning. Junior Trevor Helms and Derek Chambers had back-to-back doubles and after back-to-back walks, sophomore Hunter Mense drove in two on a single. Later in the inning, sophomore Gary Arndt doubled to drive in a two more runs.
Baylor (36-20, 19-8) got one run back on a solo home run by Kevin Russo in the bottom of the eighth. However, the Tigers added three insurance runs in the top of the ninth, getting a 2-RBI single from sophomore John McKee and an RBI hit by junior Greg O'Neill.
Junior Taylor Parker, starting his first game of the season and just the second of his career, allowed two runs on just two hits in three innings of work, striking out three. Junior Doug Mathis pitched five innings in relief allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits. He took the win to improve to 5-4 on the season.
The sixteen conference wins is the most for the Tigers since the 1998 team went 17-12 in Big 12 play.
The Big 12 Tournament will start on Wednesday at SBC Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Okla. Nebraska wins the regular season Big 12 Conference title and will be the top seed in the tournament, while Baylor is the second seed.
