Baylor
Oklahoma City
Four-Run Fifth Pushes Softball Past Oklahoma City 6-2
3/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 19, 2003
WACO, Texas - Danelle Arnold's two-run double capped a four-run fifth inning as Baylor softball defeated NAIA top-ranked Oklahoma City University 6-2 here Wednesday night. The Lady Bears improve to 24-11 on the season and move to 14-0 at home this season. Oklahoma City falls to 12-4.
Baylor had to rally twice for the victory. After Paula Garman's third-inning solo home run, the Lady Bears scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Stars recaptured the lead in the top of the fifth, though, again thanks to Garman. With two outs and runners at second and third, Garman singled through the left side to score Tiffany Burris from third. However, right fielder Harmony Schwethelm threw out Kate Beasley at home.
Kelly Levesque led off the fifth with a bunt single, followed by a Kim Wilmoth single to deep short and a Kelly Osburn bunt single. Nan Wilkins followed with a sacrifice fly to deep center, breaking the 2-2 tie. Stephanie Pomes then scored Wilmoth on a suicide squeeze. After a Schwethelm walk, Arnold blasted her fifth double of the season to clear the bases.
Sarah Caudle (2-1) tossed her third complete game of the season. The senior right-hander was touched for two runs on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
Wilmoth, who tripled in her final at bat in Tuesday's first game against Stephen F. Austin and then went 3-for-3 in the night cap, went 4-for-4 against Oklahoma City. Her eight consecutive hits is a school record, easily surpassing the five consecutive hits off the bat of Naomi Fitzgerald in 2000. Wilmoth also becomes the 14th player in Baylor history to collect four hits in a game.
Wilkins finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Arnold went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Schwethelm scored twice.
Baylor begins Big 12 Conference action this weekend, hosting No. 16 Oklahoma State. The Lady Bears and the Cowgirls meet at 2 p.m. Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday. Baylor and Oklahoma State split four games last season, including a two-game conference series at Stillwater, Okla.; the Lady Bears defeated the Cowgirls 4-0 in the Big 12 Tournament.
Notes: Baylor improves to 14-0 at home this season. The Lady Bears are 39-6 at Getterman Stadium since the beginning of the 2002 season. ... Osburn (1-for-4) extends her school-record streak of consecutive games reached base to 28.
