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BAYLOR
at
No. 4 NEBRASKA
MARCH 29 * 6:05 P.M. CST
March 30 * 1:00 P.M. CST
HAYMARKET PARK
LINCOLN, NEB.
Baylor hits the road for Easter Weekend, traveling to Lincoln, Neb., for a two-game series at No. 4 Nebraska. The Lady Bears and the Huskers play Friday at 6:05 p.m. CST and Saturday at 1 p.m. CST. Baylor (34-9, 4-2) is coming off a 2-0 loss to No. 23 Texas at home Wednesday night. Nebraska (29-5, 2-0) won a 7-0 decision Wednesday night at Creighton. The Huskers are ranked fourth in this week's USA Today/NFCA Top 25. Live stats for both games will be available at www.Huskers.com, the official website of Nebraska Athletics.
HEAD COACH GLENN MOORE
Glenn Moore is in his second season as head coach at Baylor, coming to Waco after a stellar three-year tenure at Louisiana State. In his first season at Baylor, Moore led the Lady Bears to a 38-22 overall record and a sixth-place, 7-9 mark in the Big 12 Conference. Along the way, Baylor established school season records for wins, home runs (24), fielding percentage (.963), on base percentage (.329), shutouts (17) and saves (7). The Lady Bears also enjoyed a school-record 11-game winning streak in February. While at LSU, Moore amassed a 117-25 (.820) record in two-plus seasons as the head coach. In that time, he led the Tigers to consecutive Southeastern Conference titles and back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Regionals. He was named head coach at LSU just prior to the 1998 Regionals, giving him three NCAA postseason appearances as a head coach. The Tigers went 56-10 in 1999 en route to the SEC regular season title and the conference tournament championship. Last season, the Tigers finished 59-13, one game shy of the College World Series. LSU finished eighth nationally in team batting average (.310) and ninth in team ERA (1.11). Moore has a career record of 211-73 (.743), he posted a 22-17 mark in his first year as a collegiate head coach at William Carey in Mississippi.
MOORE CLAIMS CAREER WIN No. 200
Baylor head coach Glenn Moore claimed his 200th career victory as a collegiate head coach Feb. 24 when the Lady Bears defeated San Diego State 5-1. Moore, who is 210-72 (.745) in his career, holds a 188-55 record (.774) at the Division I level.
THE NEBRASKA SERIES
Baylor and Nebraska meet for the 24th and 25th times this weekend with the Huskers holding a 19-4 advantage in the all-time series. Nebraska has won 15 straight meetings, including 4-2 and 2-1 decisions last season in Waco. Baylor's last victory against Nebraska came March 25, 1986 at home in a series that dates back to the 1979 season. The Lady Bears are 0-11 against the Huskers since the program's re-instatement in 1996, 0-10 as Big 12 Conference foes. Baylor is 0-4 all-time at Lincoln as Nebraska swept two-game sets in 1999 and 2000.
MOORE vs. NEBRASKA
Baylor head coach Glenn Moore is 0-2 in his career against Nebraska. His lone two games against the Huskers came last season.
THE NEBRASKA HUSKERS
Nebraska (29-5, 2-0) is in its 10th year under the direction of head coach Rhonda Revelle. She has a career record of 370-197, all coming at Nebraska. Revelle is fourth among active Big 12 coaches in career victories.
NU Notes: The Huskers are currently ranked fourth in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25. Nebraska has been ranked in the top 10 all season. ... The Huskers are currently riding a school-record 23-game winning streak that dates back to a 5-2 Feb. 22 loss to Illinois-Chicago. ... Nebraska is hitting .284 as a team, led by Junior OF Kim Ogee's .382 average. Ogee and sophomore RHP/UT Peaches James lead the team with seven home runs each, NU has hit 38 homers as a team. ... Nebraska is dangerous on the basepaths, where the Huskers have swiped 82 bases in 99 attempts this season. Ogee leads the team in that department as well with 26 in 29 attempts. ... The Huskers are solid defensively with a .969 fielding percentage. In 34 games, the Huskers have committed just 30 errors. ... The Nebraska pitching staff totes a 1.65 ERA. James (14-3) and senior RHP Leigh Ann Walker (15-2) have handled all but two innings of the Huskers pitching load this season. James has the lower ERA at 1.27, while Walker leads the staff with 123 strikeouts. ... Walker prepped at Flowing Wells High School in Tucson, Ariz. While at FWHS, Walker's coach was current Baylor assistant Mark Lumley.
LAST MEETING ... NEBRASKA 2, BAYLOR 1 - APRIL 2001
For the second day in a row, Nebraska posted a come from behind victory over Baylor with a 2-1 victory. Baylor struck first with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Stacey Hundley broke up Nebraska's Peaches James' no-hit bid with a leadoff double down the left field line. Hundley scored on Ryan Stukel's single to right center. The Lady Bears, behind the pitching of Joni Miller, held the Huskers off until the sixth inning. Leigh Suhr reached first on an error and promptly stole second. Suhr advanced to third on Kim Ogee's sacrifice bunt and scored on a groundout to second base. The Huskers added another run in the seventh when Amber Burgess singled to right center. Pinch runner Briana Bates moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored when then-Husker Danelle Arnold doubled to right center. Baylor threatened in the bottom of the seventh but couldn't push one across. Nan Wilkins singled down the right field line but the Husker's relief pitcher Leigh Ann Walker struck out Ginger Owen and got Sarah Caudle to fly out to center. Miller went 6.1 innings for Baylor before giving way to Jill Smith. Miller allowed five hits and struck out six. James pitched 4.1 innings, allowing three hits. Walker picked up the win in relief, she hurled 2.2 innings, struck out two and allowed three hits.
ARNOLD, DECKER RETURN TO NEBRASKA
Baylor sophomores Danelle Arnold and Katie Decker might feel a bit at home this weekend. The two played their freshman seasons at Nebraska before transferring to Baylor last summer. In fact, it was Arnold's sixth-inning double that propelled Nebraska past Baylor 2-1 last season in Waco. Arnold started 63 games for the Huskers as a freshman and finished third on the team with eight home runs, she also hit .246 on the season with eight doubles, 26 RBI and a .404 slugging percentage. Decker did not face Baylor last season. She was 8-1 on the season with a 1.90 ERA.
LADY BEARS NEARING SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS
At 34-9, Baylor is just four wins shy of tying the school record for wins in a season, established last season and in 1997. Furthermore, the Lady Bears are off to the best 43-game start in the program's history. The 2002 squad has already amassed at least as many wins as 15 previous teams in the 20-year history of Baylor softball. The Lady Bears opened the season at 7-0, matching the 1997 team for the most consecutive victories to start a season in school history. Baylor also has enjoyed a 13-game winning streak this season, the longest in school history.
BAYLOR OFF TO BEST BIG 12 START EVER
With a 4-2 record in Big 12 play, Baylor is off to its best conference start in the league's six-year history. The Lady Bears matched the 1999 squad with a 3-0 start, but just like that team, this year's squad lost its fourth game. However, the 1999 Lady Bears dropped five straight after starting 3-0. Baylor is just three conference wins shy of the school record for Big 12 wins in a season, the Lady Bears were 7-11 in 2000 and 7-9 in 2001.
LAST TIME OUT ... TEXAS 2, BAYLOR 0
Baylor became the second team this season to feel the wrath of Texas freshman southpaw Cat Osterman at home Wednesday night as the Lady Bears dropped a 2-0 decision to the 23rd-ranked Longhorns. Osterman tossed her second perfect game of the season, striking out 17 Baylor batters. The game drew a crowd of 690 fans, the largest this season for a Baylor softball game and the second-largest crowd in Getterman Stadium's four-year history. Texas did not have much offense, although not much was needed with Osterman in control. With one out in the third, Lindsay Gardner tripled to right-center. Baylor starter Cristin Vitek got Erin Mahoney to ground out to first baseman Kourtny Westerfeld, who held Gardner at third on the play. However, on Vitek's first pitch to Sarah Wieszczak, the freshman lefty was called for an illegal pitch that allowed Gardner to score. The Longhorns cushioned their lead in the top of the seventh. Wynter Turner blasted a one-out solo home run to left field, giving Osterman a little insurance for the bottom of the inning. Baylor managed to put the ball in play just four times in 21 plate appearances. Danelle Arnold was the only Lady Bear to not strikeout, she flied out to center in the second and grounded out to third in the fifth. Vitek tossed her sixth complete game in the losing effort. She was touched for two runs on four hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
BAYLOR INCHES CLOSER TO NFCA TOP 25
For the fifth straight week, Baylor received votes in this week's USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25, ranking first among teams also receiving votes in this week's poll. The Lady Bears gained 38 total points, 12 less than No. 25 Ohio State. Baylor spent seven weeks in the Top 25 last season, reaching as high as No. 19.
WHO'S HOT ... WHO'S NOT
HOT: Freshman LHP Cristin Vitek is 13-3 with a 0.39 ERA in her last 23 appearances, including 13 starts. In that span, she has tallied 113 strikeouts in 107.1 innings of work with only 15 walks. Opponents are hitting .154 off Vitek in that span, during which she is allowing slightly more than one hit per two innings. ... Sophomore OF Kelly Levesque is hitting .444 (12-for-27) with five runs, five walks and a .543 on base percentage over the last 10 games. ... Freshman SS Kim Wilmoth, who is hitting .244 on the season, is hitting .350 (7-for-20) over the last 10 games with four runs scored and six stolen bases. Her average has risen 32 points during that time.
NOT: Baylor is hitting just .230 (55-for-239) with no home runs in its last 10 games. ... Six regular starters are hitting below .200 during that span. ... Junior 2B Stacey Hundley is hitting .130 (3-for-23) in her last nine games. ... Junior 1B Kourtny Westerfeld has one hit in her last 16 at bats (.062). ... Senior 3B Kristen Lancaster is hitting .150 (3-for-20) over the last 10 games.
BAYLOR PITCHING STAFF TOPS IN BIG 12
The three-arm pitching staff of junior RHP Joni Miller, sophomore RHP Katie Decker and freshman LHP Cristin Vitek is making a strong case for the best staff in the Big 12 Conference. According to the March 25 rankings, Baylor leads the conference with a 0.84 team ERA. Furthermore, the Lady Bears have yet to allow an earned run in five Big 12 games (35.0 innings) and only two runs, period. Through five Big 12 games, Baylor has tossed four shutouts, prior to this season, Baylor had never thrown more than two conference shutouts in the same year.
VITEK MAKING HER MARK ON BIG 12
According to the March 25 Big 12 statistical rankings, freshman LHP Cristin Vitek is ranked in the top 10 of 10 categories, including ERA (2nd, 0.58), wins (2nd, 15), innings pitched (2nd, 119.2), strikeouts (4th, 130), saves (t3rd, 3), games started (t7th, 15), shutouts (t9th, 3) and opponents' batting average (3rd, .149). She is also tied for the Big 12 lead in appearances (28). In conference action, Vitek is tied for first in ERA (0.00), first in wins (3), second in innings pitched (20.2), second in strikeouts (21), tied for second in appearances (4), tied for first in games started (3) and eighth in opponents' batting average (.224).
MILLER NOT TOO SHABBY EITHER
Not to be out-done, junior RHP Joni Miller is in the top 10 of nine categories, according to the March 25 Big 12 rankings. The Edmond, Okla., native is fifth in ERA (0.98), seventh in wins (11), eighth in innings pitched (100.2), eighth in strikeouts (84), third in appearances (25), tied for first in saves (4), tied for third in games started (17), tied for ninth in shutouts (3) and ninth in complete games (7). In conference action, Miller is tied for first in ERA (0.00), sixth in innings pitched (10.1), tied for ninth in strikeouts (8), first in appearances (5), tied for first in saves (2) and tied for third in games started (2).
LEVESQUE, CAUDLE PEPPER BIG 12 OFFENSIVE STATS
Sophomore OF Kelly Levesque appears in the top 10 of seven offensive categories, according to the March 25 Big 12 rankings. Along with leading the conference in steals (22), Levesque is 10th in batting average (.351), fifth in hits (40), seventh in runs (24), tied for fourth in stolen bases (16) and fourth in on base percentage (.468). Meanwhile, junior OF Sarah Caudle is ranked 11th in batting average (.345), sixth in hits (39), tied for second in triples (4) and seventh in RBI (22). ... Sophomore C Danelle Arnold is 19th in the conference with a .324 batting average. She is also leading the conference in Big 12 play with three doubles. ... Freshman SS Kim Wilmoth is tied with Levesque for fourth in steals (16), while junior 2B Stacey Hundley is 10th with 12 swipes.
HOME, SWEET HOME
Baylor is 19-2 at home this season, already eclipsing the previous school record for home wins in a season. Last Saturday's 2-1 loss to Kansas snapped a school-record 24-game home winning streak that dated back to last season. Still intact, though, is Baylor's 20-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents. In two seasons under head coach Glenn Moore, Baylor is 34-8 at Getterman Stadium. The Lady Bears are 48-21 in the stadium's four-year existence.
GETTERMAN ATTENDANCE CONTINUES TO GROW
Getterman Stadium saw a crowd of 690 fans Wednesday for Baylor's game against No. 23 Texas. That is the second-largest attendance in the stadium's history behind only the crowd of 780 that watched the Lady Bears defeat Oklahoma State 1-0 in 14 innings March 31, 2001. In fact, five of the seven largest crowds and seven of the 10 largest crowds in the stadium's four-year history have come this season. Since Getterman Stadium opened May 1, 1999, there have been 15 dates of 400 or more fans, Baylor is 18-4 on those dates, sweeping five doubleheaders, splitting two others and losing two single games.
MILLER CLAIMS CAREER SAVES RECORD
Junior RHP Joni Miller picked up her ninth career save Wednesday in the Lady Bears' second game at Texas Tech. With that save, her fourth of the 2002 season, Miller eclipsed Stacey Allison's school record for saves in a career.
FOUR LADY BEARS ALREADY IN STEALS TOP 10
Head coach Glenn Moore focused on increasing team speed with his 2001 signing class, and through 43 games that emphasis is apparent. Sophomore OF Kelly Levesque, who transferred to Baylor from Louisiana State, and freshman SS Kim Wilmoth share the team lead with 16 stolen bases, that figure already ranks as the fourth-best season totals in school history. Meanwhile, junior 2B Stacey Hundley is eighth all-time with 12 steals, and freshman OF Carrie Leerberg is tied for ninth with 11. As a team, the Lady Bears have swiped 81 bases this season, tied for second in school history and just 13 shy of the school record established in 1996.
MORE THIEVERY
Five of the top 11 stolen base threats in Baylor history are currently wearing the Green and Gold. Junior 2B Stacey Hundley is third in school history with 33 career stolen bases, while junior OF Sarah Caudle is fifth with 26. Meanwhile, three players have cracked the top 10 in their first seasons at Baylor. Sophomore OF Kelly Levesque and freshman SS Kim Wilmoth are tied for sixth all-time with 16 thefts, freshman OF Carrie Leerberg is tied for ninth with 11.
VITEK'S SURGE GIVES BAYLOR A PAIR OF ACES
Freshman left-hander Cristin Vitek established herself as one of the nation's top freshman pitchers two weeks ago when she out-dueled Fresno State's Jamie Southern 2-1. Vitek, a product of Taylor High School in Katy, Texas, held the 10th-ranked Bulldogs to one unearned run on two hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts, defeating the reigning national player of the week Southern. Two days later, Vitek solidified her all-tournament status at the Hallowell Classic with an eight-inning, 12-strikeout, three-hit shutout of Boston. Then, she tossed six and one-third scoreless innings en route to the victory as Baylor shutout then-No. 21 Texas A&M 4-0 three weeks ago in the Big 12 Conference opener. ... In 29 appearances this season, Vitek has allowed a run just seven times and more than one run just three times.
LADY BEARS GO NO-NO CRAZY
Entering the 2002 season, there had been just four no-hitters thrown by Baylor pitchers in the program's history. The Lady Bears have now thrown four in their last 16 games. Katie Decker got things started with a complete-game no-hitter Feb. 15 against Stephen F. Austin. One week later, Joni Miller combined with Cristin Vitek and Decker to no-hit SFA in a five-inning 8-0 victory. The next day, Baylor tossed a pair of no-hitters. Miller pulled the feat in a seven-inning, 3-0 win over Creighton, Vitek and Decker then combined to no-hit SFA again, this time 10-0 in five innings. Baylor pushed its streak of consecutive innings without allowing a hit to 22 innings before Joni Miller surrendered a leadoff home run in the fourth inning of the Feb. 23 Akron game.
CAUDLE TIES BOTH TRIPLES MARKS
With four triples on the season, junior OF Sarah Caudle is tied with Lyn Hill (1996-1999) for first all-time at Baylor with seven career triples. Furthermore, Caudle has already tied the school mark for three-baggers in a season, matching Kristin Barton's 1996 total. Caudle currently ranks in the top 10 on 11 career offensive lists at Baylor.
BIG 12 COACHES TAB BAYLOR SIXTH
Baylor was picked to finished sixth in the Big 12 Conference this season, according to the preseason coaches' poll. The Lady Bears were 38-22 overall last season, finishing sixth in the Big 12 with a 7-9 league mark. Defending champion Nebraska was the overwhelming favorite in the preseason poll, garnering 78 total points and seven of 10 first-place votes. Oklahoma, which claimed the Big 12 Tournament title last year, was picked second with 72 total points and two first-place nods. Texas was third with 65 points and the final first-place selection. Kansas (52 points) was picked fourth, followed by Texas A&M (49), Baylor (42), Oklahoma State (32), Texas Tech (28), Missouri (23) and Iowa State (9).
TRANSFERS FIND HOME AT BAYLOR
Four members of the 2002 Lady Bears' squad transferred to Baylor from other schools, three coming in this season and all three from four-year schools. Last season, Kourtny Westerfeld joined the Baylor program after spending one season at nearby McLennan Community College. This season, the Lady Bears welcome sophomores Danelle Arnold and Katie Decker from fellow Big 12 Conference institution Nebraska, and sophomore Kelly Levesque from Southeastern Conference power Louisiana State.
Player Prev. School StatusDanelle Arnold Nebraska sophomore CKatie Decker Nebraska sophomore RHPKelly Levesque Louisiana State sophomore SSKourtny Westerfeld McLennan CC junior 1B
BAYLOR ADDS 3 EARLY SIGNEES
Head coach Glenn Moore signed four players to National Letters of Intent last fall during the early signing period. Joining the Lady Bears' program next year will be 3B/C Amber Daniel, SS Kelly Osburn and SS/OF Harmony Schwethelm. Daniel, a 1999 graduate of Vanguard High School in Waco, Texas, will come to Baylor from Temple (Texas) College. Osburn preps at Elkins High School in Missouri City, Texas, and Schwethelm attends Smithson Valley High School in San Antonio, Texas.
GOBAYLORBEARS.COM
Baylor's official athletic web site can be found at www.GoBaylorBears.com. The comprehensive site, which includes releases, photos, biographical sketches and audio broadcasts, is part of the FANSonly Network. FANSonly currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including eight Big 12 schools.
OVER THE AIR
Selected Baylor softball games can be heard live on KRZI-AM (1660/1580) in Waco this season. John Morris, "Voice of the Bears" and a veteran broadcaster of all sports, will handle play-by-play duties, while Baylor assistant director of media relations Larry Little, a veteran broadcaster of baseball, softball, basketball and soccer, will provide color analysis. Baylor's broadcast schedule for the 2002 season is as follows:
Date Day Opponent TimeMarch 20 Wed. at Texas Tech (DH) 2:00 p.m.March 27 Wed. TEXAS 6:30 p.m.April 6 Sat. at Missouri 7:00 p.m.April 14 Sun. IOWA STATE NoonApril 20 Sat. at Oklahoma State 2:00 p.m.May 1-3 Wed.-Fri. at Big 12 Tournament TBAMay 16-20 Thurs.-Mon. at NCAA Regionals TBA
BAYLOR GAMES ON THE NET
Live stats for all Baylor home games can be accessed by visiting www.GoBaylorBears.com, the official website of Baylor athletics.
INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW
Inside Baylor Sports, a half-hour look at the world of Baylor athletics, airs weekly throughout Central Texas and the region. The program, co-hosted by John Morris and Lori Scott-Fogleman, airs on KCEN-TV Channel 6, Fox Sports Net Southwest and the College Channel (Waco cable channel 18). KCEN carries the show at 10:30 p.m. Sundays, and it airs at 1 p.m. Wednesdays on FSN Southwest.
UP NEXT...
Baylor hosts two non-conference doubleheaders next week at Getterman Stadium. The Lady Bears entertain defending NAIA National Champion Oklahoma City University for a double-dip Tuesday at 5 p.m. CST and Texas-A&M Corpus Christi for a pair of games Thursday at 5 p.m. CST.
