University of Missouri
Baylor
MU's Big 12 Tourney Runs Ends Against Baylor
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 23, 1999
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.- Baylor downed Missouri 9-2 in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference baseball tournament Saturday afternoon to put the Bears into the finals Sunday at 1 p.m. (CDT) against tourney-undefeated Nebraska in a national telecast over FOX Sports Net at Southwestern Bell Bricktown Ballpark.
The Bears received a complete game pitching performance from righthander Chad Hawkins (6-3) as they advanced to 46-12 with their fourth consecutive victory overall. Missouri concluded the regular season at 37-19 and kept alive their hopes for a possible at-large NCAA Region tourney berth. The winner of Sunday's contest is the Big 12's automatci qualifier for the 64-team NCAA tournament.
Baylor overcame an early 1-0 deficit by the Tigers with a three-run spot in the top of the third inning. The Bears continued their tourney-record-setting base thievery (they had seven against Texas earlier in the meet) with five more stolen bases, including three by Anthony Hensley and two by Jon Topolski.
But it was six runs-batted-in apiece by second baseman Eric Nelson and designated hitter Jason Jennings that put BU over the top. Third baseman Preston Underdown added a three-run homer to that total as the trio accounted for the Bears' nine runs. It was Underdown's fifth homer of the year.
Missouri, bothered by injuries, started with lefthander Mitch Kiler (2-2), who separated right his elbow in a fall during outfield warmups Friday night. Kiler lasted three batters into the third inning before yielding to Ralph McCasland, the second of four Tigers' relievers.
Pacing the Tigers offense was third baseman Aaron Wilson with a pair of singles. Jon Williams and Mike Rallo drove in the two MU runs with a single and sacrifice fly.
Baylor is making its first tournament finals' appearance sine the Bears won the 1993 Southwest Conference tourney at Austin, Texas. Nebraska, which is looking for its first tournament title, last played in a NCAA-deciding game in the 1981 Big Eight finals against Oklahoma State at All Sports Stadium here.
