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Big 12 champion Baylor was two outs away from securing a spot in the 2012 College World Series on Sunday, but a booted double-play ball, followed by a single, a hit batter driving in the tying run and a second hit batter forcing in the winning run turned what appeared to be a series sweep for Baylor into an improbable game-saving 5-4 win for Arkansas and sending the super-regional series to a deciding final game on Monday in Waco.
Arkansas took an early 1-0 lead with a run in the first and pushed the lead to 3-1 in the third, but Baylor scored three in the fifth to take a one-run lead that held up until the Razorbacks last at bat in the ninth. Baylor starter Josh Turley held the Arkansas hitters without a hit after the third inning in going seven full innings, yielding five hits, all in the first three innings.
Bears centerfielder Logan Vick, who hit a pair of home runs in Baylor's 8-1 victory in Game 1, scored two of the Bears runs on Sunday, reaching base four times on two hits and two walks. Designated-hitter Joe Serrano led the Razorback attack, going two-for-four at the plate and driving in two runs.
Max Garner, who entered the game in the eighth for Baylor in relief of Turley, hit Arkansas pinch hitter Jimmy Bosco on a 2-2 count, allowing the tying run to score. Crayton Bare then came on and hit John Clay Reeves with the bases loaded, ending the game and yielding a gut-wrenching loss to the Bears.
Everything will hang in the balance when these two teams meet on Monday at Baylor Ballpark to decide who gets the ticket to Omaha and the College World Series.
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