By RICHARD CROOME

Eagle Staff Writer

Practice makes perfect, even if it hurts just a little.

Luke Anders was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game to load the bases in the eighth inning, and Darby Brown took a pitch just above the right knee to force home the winning run in Texas A&M's 2-1 victory over Baylor in the opening game of a split series.

A&M (31-7, 13-3 Big 12), which won it's school-record 10th consecutive Big 12 game, maintained its half-game lead over Nebraska. Baylor fell to 23-15 and 8-8.

"We work on getting hit by a pitch all the time. We don't move at all," Brown said. "A win is a win. We had a little bit of trouble getting those runs in tonight, and we just wanted to do whatever it takes."

It was what a Friday night game is supposed to be, with pitching dominating from the outset at Olsen Field.

Starters Brooks Raley of A&M and Baylor's Kendal Volz each pitched into the eighth inning before giving way to relievers who picked up where the starters left off.

"It's the first time it was a true Friday night game for us -- well pitched, well played on both sides, and we were fortunate enough to catch a break and have the hit-by-pitch," A&M coach Rob Childress said. "Kendal Volz was outstanding and Brooks Raley matched him pitch for pitch."

After Raley worked 7 2/3 innings, Kyle Thebeau struck out Baylor's leading hitter Dustin Dickerson to end a threat in the eighth. The Aggies took the lead in the bottom of the eighth, and Travis Starling worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save.

With one out in the eighth, Blake Stouffer worked a walk, and Dane Carter singled to left to end Volz's night.

Reliever Craig Fritsch entered and got Jose Duran to ground out, but he then hit both of A&M's big left-handed hitters with pitches.

"I liked our matchup," Baylor coach Steve Smith said. "Craig's got a good arm, a good live fastball, and I'll take my chances with him getting outs in the strike zone."

Baylor took a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth on Raynor Campbell's double that drove in Shaver Hansen, who reached on a sacrafice bunt attempt A&M ruined. Raley hopped off the mound, fielded Hansen's bunt and threw out Gregg Glime at second base.

It was the second straight inning A&M threw out the lead runner on a sacrafice bunt attempt. In the fifth, third baseman Carter fielded Landis Ware's bunt and threw out Aaron Miller at second base.

"[Baylor] got the leadoff hitter on twice and did what any team would do, try to bunt him over and take two shots at driving them in," Childress said. "We were able to blow them up at second base. It was just a great play by Dane and by Brooks."

Smith said not getting down those sacrafice bunts cost the Bears.

"In at least one of those cases, probably both of them, it was a combination of [A&M] being very good defensively, both at third and on the mound, and us not making an exceptional bunt," Smith said. "Neither bunt was poor. I was really surprised they even tried [the second one], but that's a heck of play by the pitcher, and you've got to give them credit for it."

Raley did more than field bunts. He gave up one run on five hits while striking out four. He didn't issue a walk and threw 65 strikes in his 100-pitch outing.

"That's the best I've felt in a while," Raley said. "That's the first Friday night game we've played in a long time, not a lot of runs scored, and when you get a chance to play a game like that it keeps you intense and keeps you rolling."

In the bottom of the sixth, A&M tied the game at 1 on Anders' sacrafice fly that scored Carter, who reached on an error and moved to third on Duran's single to left.

NOTES -- A&M matched it's Big 12 win total of 13 last year. ... Blake Stouffer extended his hitting streak to 14 with a first-inning single to right. ... Carter, who leads the Big 12 in hitting at .434, ended an 0-for-8 string with a single in the fourth. It was his longest drought of the season. ... Saturday's Game 2 from Baylor Ballpark will be broadcast on KZNE (1150 AM). The Maroon & White Game will be on WTAW (1620 AM).

• Richard Croome's e-mail address is richard.croome@theeagle.com.