March 26, 2003

Box Score

AUSTIN, Texas - Fifth-ranked Texas scored six second-inning runs and Catherine Osterman struck out 11 as the Longhorns defeated Baylor here Wednesday night 6-1 in Big 12 Conference softball action. Baylor falls to 24-14 on the season with the loss, 0-3 in conference play. Texas improves to 26-5 and 3-0.

Sarah Wieszczak's one-out RBI triple got things started for Texas in the second as the Longhorns batted around in the frame. After an Amber Hall walk, Marlo Hanks blasted the first of two doubles on the night, scoring Wieszczak and Hall. Two walks later Lindsay Garnder bounced a two-run single through the left side, and Tina Boutelle then swiped home.

Baylor made use of two Texas errors in the top of the third to scratch the scoreboard. April Luce reached on an Osterman throwing error to lead off the inning and advanced to second on the overthrow. A Stacey Hundley sacrifice pushed Luce to third. Kim WIlmoth then reached on a fielding error by Texas third baseman Wynter Turner, and Luce scored on the play.

Other than the second inning, Texas' bats were, for the most part, kept at bay. The Longhorns got four of their six hits in the second and managed just three base runners in the last four innings.

Cristin Vitek (11-8) started and took the loss for Baylor. The sophomore southpaw lasted just 1.1 innings and allowed four runs on three hits and a walk with one strikeout. Katie Decker pitched the final 4.2 innings and was touched for two runs on three hits and three walks with a season-high tying five strikeouts.

Osterman (14-3) surrendered one unearned run on three hits and no walks with 11 strikeouts.

Notes: Texas now leads the all-time series 10-1; the Longhorns are 6-0 all-time against Baylor in Austin. ... Kelly Osubrn failed to reach base in three plate appearances. That snapped Osburn's school-record streak of 30 consecutive games reached base.