March 23, 2002
Box Score
WACO, Texas - Baylor left six runners on base and could not overcome two first-inning unearned runs here Saturday as the Lady Bears fell to Kansas 2-1 in Big 12 Conference softball action.
With the loss, Baylor drops to 32-8 on the season and 3-1 in Big 12 play. Kansas improves to 17-11 and 2-1. The loss also snapped Baylor's school-record 24-game home winning streak. It was the Lady Bears' first loss at Getterman Stadium since dropping a 3-1 decision April 11, 2001 to Texas Tech.
With two out in the top of the first, Kansas Christi Musser reached on a throwing error by Baylor third baseman Kristen Lancaster and moved to second when the throw went into the first-base dugout. After an infield single by Leah Tabb, Megan Urquhart slapped a double down the left-field line that scored Musser and Tabb.
Baylor pulled to within one with a run on three hits in the bottom of the third. Sarah Caudle led off with a single up the middle and moved to second on a Lancaster sacrifice bunt. A Danelle Arnold groundout moved Caudle to third, and Carrie Leerberg followed with a single to center, plating Caudle. April Luce then singled to left-center, pushing Leerberg to third, but both runners were left stranded when Kourtny Westerfeld grounded out to end the inning.
The Lady Bears threatened again in the sixth. Lancaster led off with a double down the line in left and moved to third on an Arnold sacrifice bunt. However, back-to-back pop ups off the bats of Leerberg and Luce ended the rally.
Kansas starter Kara Pierce allowed just the one run and scattered six hits in five innings of work. Pierce (8-4) also walked two and struck out two. Serena Settlemier notched her first save of the season, she came in after Lancaster's sixth-inning double and retired the next six batters in order to end the game, including striking out the side in the seventh.
Joni Miller was saddled with the tough-luck loss. Miller (11-4) allowed the two unearned runs on five hits with one walk and a strikeout in four and one-third innings. Cristin Vitek tossed the final eight outs for Baylor, scattering three hits and walking one with five strikeouts.
Baylor and Kansas face each other again Sunday at 1 p.m. CST.
