The top-seeded Bears (43-22) advanced to the championship round and will play host Southern Mississippi (47-15) at 1 p.m. today. Baylor needs one win to reach the super regionals, while the Golden Eagles must beat the Bears twice in a row to win and advance. Southern Miss routed Southern 18-1 late Saturday to make it to the title round.
Joey Mouton’s RBI single with two outs in the sixth tied the game at 3 for the third-seeded Jaguars (47-6).
But Griffin’s home run off reliever Emary Frederick (1-2) sailed into the trees far behind the left-field fence and gave Baylor a 4-3 lead.
Baylor added a run in the eighth on a wild pitch, then pulled away in the ninth. Southern’s Antwyna Beasley was an out away from getting out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam with no runs scoring, but Trey Webb lined a two-run single into left to make it 7-3. Kyle Reynolds followed with a three-run homer to right.
Baylor starter Steven White (8-4) threw 7 2/3 innings and held the country’s top hitting team in check. He allowed three runs, seven hits, and five walks and recorded nine strikeouts.
Zane Carlson entered in the eighth with a man on and struck out Marcus Townsend III to end the Jags’ last threat. Carlson finished the game for his 10th save.
Townsend homered to center in the bottom of the fifth to give Southern a 3-2 lead. Kevin Sevigny got the lead back for Baylor with a two-run, two-out single in the sixth off Corey Poret.
In other regional action, Texas also advanced to the championship round with a 7-3 win over Lamar. The Longhorns face Lamar again at 1 p.m. today.
Texas A&M advanced with a 16-5 victory over Alabama. The Aggies will take on Houston at 2 p.m. today. Houston eliminated Alabama, 16-8.
Rice downed Wichita State, 10-1, to move on. The Owls and Shockers will meet again at 1 p.m. today.
