April 10, 2010
WACO, Texas - Logan Verrett tossed a complete game and struck out a career-high 12 to pitch Baylor to a 13-1 win over No. 23 Texas A&M Saturday night before 3,921 fans at Baylor Ballpark.
The Bears (18-11, 4-5) scored the first eight of their runs on the night with two outs en route to their fourth Big 12 victory of the season. The Aggies, meanwhile, fell to 20-9-1 and 6-4-1.
"The big thing for us tonight is we weren't able to finish," A&M coach Rob Childress said. "We weren't able to finish on the mound. I think we had six two-out walks and gave up 11 two-out runs. That's the difference in the game. You have to give (Logan) Verrett a lot of credit, he was outstanding, and their hitters got a lot of big hits when it mattered most."
Baylor got on the board off Aggie starter Ross Stripling in the fourth, as Tyler Collins poked a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield.
In the fifth, a Josh Ludy pinch-hit, two-out single made the score 2-0 and, after a full-count walk, catcher Gregg Glime drove a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left center field. The three-run blast was his third of the year and extended the lead to five.
Baylor added three more runs with two down in the seventh and put up a five-spot in the eighth. On the night, the Bears registered 11 of their 16 hits and scored 11 of 13 runs with two away.
A&M got on the board in the eighth when Tyler Naquin doubled just inside the line in right to score pinch runner Matt Juengel easily from second.
Verrett (4-2) tossed his first career complete game, allowing four hits, one run and two walks while fanning 12.
"He was very good," Childress said of Verrett. "We weren't able to make an adjustment on his slider and he didn't have to throw it for a strike an awful lot of the time. When it's good, you can do that."
Stripling (3-2) lasted 4 1/3 and gave up six hits, two runs and three walks while striking out three.
"Lost in the night, I thought Ross did a really good job," Childress said. "He probably had his best stuff that he's had in the last three or four weeks. I probably went and got him a little too early."
The series concludes on Sunday at Baylor Ballpark with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
"I told the team after the game that whether it was 2-1 or 13-1, it really doesn't matter," Childress said. "It's just one game, and what really matters is that we didn't get it done. It very well could have been a 2-1 game with the way Verrett pitched tonight. But we have a chance tomorrow to come out and win the series, and I like our chances."