Baylor finishes sweep of rival

The Baylor baseball team won a sloppy slugfest Thursday and a more expected pitchers' duel Friday, so neither coaches nor fans nor players knew what to expect Saturday afternoon.

Baylor coach Gene Etter knew simply that he had to have an answer for anything McCallie might bring, and the coaching veteran even ordered a sacrifice in the sixth inning to advance two runners although his Red Raiders held a four-run advantage.

Those two runs, plated on a single by designated hitter Jeff Burke, proved to be needed insurance as the Red Raiders held on for a 12-7 victory over its top rival.

"I was pleased with our performance," said Etter, whose team earned its first series sweep of an opponent since Division II went to the three-game series format two years ago.

He was pleased especially because the Red Raiders came through with clutch hits, scoring 10 of their runs with two outs.

"Every run we got was important," Etter said.

One of the big hits came in the fourth inning, after a 4-0 Raiders lead was trimmed to 4-3. With two runners on in front of him, Vanderbilt-bound shortstop Will Cooper stroked one high and deep to left-center to answer the Blue Tornado score.

"I have had to be patient because I've seen a lot of changeups and breaking balls," Cooper said. "I got ahead 3-1, so I was looking for a fastball and it looked to me to be right down the middle."

McCallie scored two in the sixth on Sam Campbell's home run, and it looked as if the Blue Tornado might have a legitimate shot at catching the Red Raiders.

But in the bottom of the inning, Gavin Gibson opened with a single and Cooper got hit by a pitch and Etter got a letter-perfect sacrifice bunt from No. 4 hitter John Tipton to put both in scoring position. Then Burke stroked a ringing single to center. Three batters later, Blaine Booker's single scored Zach McKelvey.

"We know what kind of team McCallie has," Etter said. "They've suffered some tough breaks, but they're certainly better than their record might indicate."

Said counterpart Chris Richardson, whose Blue Tornado have lost nine one-run games: "They got the big hits when they needed them and executed on the mound at crucial times."

McCallie still has some region games to play, but Richardson, mindful of his 2007 team's 20-18 record before its run to the state final, is looking forward to the postseason.

"We have been so close all year," he said. "I really believe at some point we're going to click. I know it's very possible."

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