April 21, 2002
Box Score
STILLWATER, Okla. - No. 23 Baylor and Oklahoma State went nose-to-nose for three hours, 25 minutes here Sunday. But in the end, a dropped ball at home plate gave the Cowgirls a 2-1 12-inning victory over the Lady Bears in Big 12 Conference softball action.
Baylor drops to 45-14 on the season and 10-6 in Big 12 play. The Lady Bears, currently fourth in the conference standings just one-half game behind third-place Nebraska, enter the final week of the regular season knowing they can finish no lower than fifth and as high as third. Oklahoma State improves to 27-18 and 6-7.
With runners at first and third and two out in the bottom of the 12th, Baylor catcher Danelle Arnold caught Jade Lindly halfway down the third-base line. Arnold chased Lindly back toward third, tossed to third baseman Kristen Lancaster, who then threw back to Arnold, who tagged Lindly. However, Arnold dropped the ball before applying the tag and Lindly was called safe.
Despite the loss, the Lady Bears head into the final week of the regular season knowing they can finish no lower than fifth and possibly as high as third. Unfortunately, though, a victory over OSU Sunday would have pushed Baylor into third place in the conference standings due to Nebraska's doubleheader split with Texas A&M earlier in the day.
Baylor and Oklahoma State remained scoreless for the first 10 innings of play. Then, Danelle Arnold lifted a sacrifice fly into left-center with one out in the 11th that scored Sarah Caudle, who started the inning at second in accordance with the international tie-breaker rule.
But OSU answered in the bottom of the inning thanks to another Baylor fielding miscue.
With a runner at third and one out, Stephanie Hodges bounced one to short that Kim Wilmoth fielded with ease. The freshman shortstop looked the runner back to third and set herself, but her throw to first was in the dirt and skipped away. An alert Jenny Kipp scooted home from third. Still, Joni Miller worked out of the jam by getting the next two batters.
In fact, Miller, Cristin Vitek and starter Katie Decker turned in one of the most dominating pitching performances in school history. That trio combined to strikeout a school-record 17 batters. Decker had a career-high nine whiffs in five and two-thirds innings of work. Miller had seven in the same length of time, and Vitek struckout one of the two batters she faced in the 12th.
Baylor managed six hits on the day, including two each by Lancaster and Kelly Levesque. Caudle and Wilmoth provided the other two hits. Levesque reached safely in five of six plate appearances as she also drew a walk and was hit once.
The Lady Bears conclude the regular season next weekend, hosting No. 11 Oklahoma for a two-game series at Getterman Stadium. Baylor and OU play Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Lancaster and Holly Fields, Baylor's only two seniors, will be honored prior to Sunday's contest.
