Baylor Baseball Improves to 2-1 with 3-2 Win over Duke in QTI Classic

Falling behind the Duke Blue Devils for the second time in as many days, the Baylor Bears baseball team once again battled back, this time garnering a 3-2 victory to improve to 2-1 on the young season.

So far, so good.

“I thought we swung the bat okay,” Bears' head coach Steve Smith told Baylor’s official athletic site. “Early in the game [Michael Ness] was really effective. He had some movement and was working both sides of the plate, changing speed and we were beating it into the ground pretty quick.

“As the game progressed we took better swings. Early in the game we took good swings, but didn't get anything for it. We took some good at-bats. Fortunately, we were able to get one to go through when Brooks [Pinckard] got up there.”

Pinckard did almost everything in Saturday’s win, including tying the game in the seventh inning, scoring the go-ahead run and toeing the rubber to garner a save while preserving Baylor’s one-run cushion.

“I was just going to go out there and try to get the job done,” Pinckard said. “Fortunately that’s what I did and came up with the [save]. I’ve never really been a starting pitcher; I have always been a short relief guy mainly at the end of the game. It’s just exciting to be out there.”

With Saturday’s W, Baylor also aims to continue their winning ways as they battle No. 22 Georgia in tomorrows finale of the QTI Classic.

Baylor Baseball Begins Season with 9-3 Win over Duke, 7-5 Loss to Georgia

Being a die-hard Baylor and Duke fan, it’s only fitting that the 2010 NCAA Baseball season would begin with a match-up between the Bears and the Blue Devils.

After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning against Duke, Baylor battled back to garner a big 9-3 victory in their first game of the year while hosting the QTI Classic.

Unfortunately, the Bears’ rally fell short in game two of their season-opening double header in a 7-5 loss to Georgia.

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at [e-mail]