FROM PRESS RELEASE
WACO, Texas — Pinch hitter Jon Ringenberg drew a bases-loaded walk with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give Baylor a 4-3 victory over Kansas in Friday night’s Big 12 Conference series opener at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (17-11, 4-6) snapped a three-game losing streak in Big 12 openers and a four-game losing skid in one-run games. Kansas (19-14, 1-6) has lost four straight in conference play.
Adam Hornung led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk, and pinch runner Paul Miles moved to third on Aaron Miller’s double down the right-field line. After Raynor Campbell was intentionally walked to load the bases, Landis Ware fouled out for the first out the inning. Ringenberg faced a 2-1 count and then fouled off three straight pitches before taking two straight for the game-winning walk.
That made a winner of reliever Tim Matthews (2-0), who held Kansas hitless with one strikeout over 1.1 scoreless innings. After a hit batsman on his first pitch of the game, Matthews retired four straight with three groundouts.
Starter Kendal Volz held Kansas in check until his 111th and final pitch of the night. With Baylor leading 3-1 and two outs in the eighth, Volz fell behind 3-0 on Kansas catcher Buck Afenir. After Volz got the 3-0 pitch over for a strike, Afenir singled to center. Ryne Price followed with a two-run, game-tying home run on the first pitch he saw.
Volz took a no-decision, allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks with 12 strikeouts over 7.2 innings. It was the third double-digit strikeout total in seven starts this season for Volz and the fourth double-digit performance of his career. He was one strikeout shy of his career-high 13 established against Oklahoma at last year’s Big 12 Championship.
Volz’ strikeout total tied for the second-most by any pitcher in Baylor Ballpark history and tied for the most at the facility by a Baylor pitcher. He joined former Bears Mark McCormick and Steven White, former Nebraska Husker and current New York Yankee Joba Chamberlain, and former Oral Roberts hurler Michael Jarman as the only pitchers to strikeout at least 12 batters in a game at Baylor Ballpark; Jarman owns the record with 14 strikeouts.
Paul Smyth (1-3), the last of four relievers on the night for Kansas , took the loss; he allowed one run on two hits and three walks with two strikeouts over 1.1 innings. Starter Nick Czyz held Baylor to one run on five hits and four walks with six strikeouts over 4.1 innings.
Kansas took the game’s first lead in the bottom of the first. Nick Faunce led off the game with a single and moved to second on Robby Price’s sacrifice bunt. After a John Allman walk, Afenir singled through the left side to score Faunce.
Baylor tied the game in the bottom of the second. Miller, Campbell and Gregg Glime all singled to load the bases. Ben Booker was then hit by a pitch, scoring Miller. The Bears scored two runs on four hits in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead. Shaver Hansen plated the first run on a sacrifice fly, and Adam Hornung’s two-out double plated Beamer Weems.
Booker, Campbell, Miller and Hornung each had two hits for the Bears, who had 10 hits and drew eight walks on the night.
Afenir finished with three hits, while Casey Larson had two hits.
Baylor and Kansas continue the series Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CDT. The Bears send right-hander Shawn Tolleson (2-1, 3.58 ERA) to the mound. The Jayhawks counter with right-hander Andres Esquibel (2-1, 2.68 ERA).
NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 34-5, including an 18-1 advantage in Waco . The Bears are 29-5 against Kansas since the inception of the Big 12. Baylor is 6-0 against Kansas in series openers at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears are 7-5 in one-run games against Kansas since the start of the Big 12. … Baylor improved to 8-4 this season in one-run games. … Dickerson (five games), Booker (three games) and Hornung (three games) all extended hitting streaks. Hansen (seven games) and Ware (six games) both saw hitting streaks end. Hansen’s was the longest of his career, while Ware’s tied his career long. The two were the only Baylor starters without a hit. … Campbell has hit safely in five straight Big 12 games. … Baylor improved to 14-4 this season when the starting pitcher lasts at least 5.0 innings.
