March 6, 2003
Box Score
HONOLULU, Hawai'i - Kelly Osburn went 3-for-4 and Sarah Caudle hit her fourth home run of the season as No. 25 Baylor defeated California-Riverside 4-2 here Thursday in first-day action at the Malahini Tournament hosted by the University of Hawai'i. Baylor has won 10 of its last 11 games and now stands 19-8 on the season. UCR falls to 4-13.
For the eighth time in their last 10 games, the Lady Bears scored in the first inning. With two outs, Kelly Osburn doubled off the fence in right. Caudle followed with a double to right-center, scoring Osburn.
Caudle added another RBI to her team-leading tally in the third, drilling a towering one-out solo home run that cleared the 200-foot sign in right-center by 40 feet. Baylor added two more runs in the fourth on a Kim Wilmoth groundout and a balk by UCR pitcher Kim Dillon.
Meanwhile, Joni Miller was dominating the Highlander batters for the first four innings. The senior right-hander struck out the first two batters in each of the first three innings and did not allow a base runner until Jeannine Robinson singled to left just in front of a diving Osburn with one out in the fourth.
However, Cal-Riverside dented the scoreboard with a run in the fifth. Jessica Black led off with a double to center, moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a Nicole Bethurum groundout. The Highlanders added a run on two hits and two Baylor errors in the sixth.
Suzy Dallas led off the seventh with a single through the left side, and Baylor head coach Glenn Moore called on Cristin Vitek to close the game. Vitek got three quick outs on 11 pitches with two strikeouts.
Miller (5-2) allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits and no walks with seven strikeouts. Vitek earned her first save of the season.
Caudle went 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Osburn posted her third three-hit game of the season and extended her hitting streak to 14 games. Carrie Leerberg added two infield singles in three at bats, and Harmony Schwethelm walked twice.
Baylor also faces Buffalo at 9 p.m. CST Thursday. Action continues here Friday as the Lady Bears face Loyola Marymount at 6 p.m. CST and Hawai'i at midnight.
