March 8, 2003

Box Score

HONOLULU, Hawai'i - Sarah Caudle's two-run fifth-inning triple cushioned a 1-0 Baylor lead, and Joni Miller tossed a two-hit complete-game shutout as the 25th-ranked Lady Bears defeated Boston College 4-0 here Saturday in third-day action of the Malahini Tournament hosted by the University of Hawai'i.

Baylor improves to 20-11 on the season with the victory, snapping a three-game losing streak. The Lady Bears lost a 5-2 decision to Hawai'i late Friday night.

Jacqui Goodchild led off the game with a double but was stranded there, and she later had a one-out single in the third. That was the last base runner of the game for Boston College. Miller retired the next 14 in order, allowing the ball out of the infield only once.

Kelly Osburn put Baylor on the board in the bottom of the third with a solo home run to straightaway center. It was her second home run in as many games, and Osburn now shares the team lead of six with Sarah Caudle, who has three home runs on the weekend.

Caudle provided the Lady Bears another big hit in the fifth. After a one-out infield single by Kim Wilmoth, Osburn was intentionally walked. Caudle made BC pay, ripping a two-run triple down the line in right. She now owns the Baylor career triples record with eight. Last weekend, Caudle claimed the school doubles record.

Stephanie Pomes followed with a suicide squeeze, scoring Caudle from third.

Miller (5-3) did not walk a batter and struck out three for her second complete-game shutout of the season. Osburn also ripped a double off the fence in center in the first, going 2-for-2 on the day. Wilmoth was 2-for-3.

Baylor's Friday night game against Hawai'i actually ended in the early hours of Saturday. Six hits and two illegal pitch calls led to five sixth-inning runs as the Rainbow Wahine rallied for a 5-2 victory.

Osburn and Caudle hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the fourth. Caudle's home run was estimated to have traveled at least 275 feet just fair down the right-field line. Osburn's would have traveled at least that far, but its progression was stopped when it hit halfway up the light pole in left-center.

Meanwhile, starter Cristin Vitek was rolling along for the Lady Bears until the sixth. Noelle Izumi led off with a single and April Crowell followed with a double to put runners at second and third.

Baylor head coach Glenn Moore called on Miller from the bullpen, and that is when things got weird. Miller was called for two questionable illegal pitches in her first six tosses, allowing both runners to score. A single, a double, a hit batter and two bloop singles followed to account for the other three runs.

Miller was saddled with the loss; she faced two batters and both scored. Vitek, who re-entered the game two batters after giving way to Miller, was touched for three runs on eight hits and one walk with six strikeouts.

Action concludes here Sunday as Baylor faces Kent State at 8 p.m. CST.