May 1, 2003
Box Score | Photo Gallery
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Sophomore Cristin Vitek struck out seven batters and allowed only three hits in Baylor's 3-0 victory over Iowa State in a play-in game to the Big 12 Tournament at the Don Porter Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City on Thursday. With the victory, the Lady Bears will, after a 30-minute break, play the tournament's No. 2 seed Oklahoma State.
Baylor, the tournament's No. 10 seed, struck early scoring two runs in the top of the first. Kelly Levesque led off the inning with a bunt single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Stacey Hundley. Shortstop Kim Wilmoth singled to center field and then, with Sarah Caudle at the plate, stole second. Caudle reached base on a fielder's choice, Wilmoth moved to third and Levesque beat the throw to the plate for Baylor's first run. Wilmoth then scored on Kourtny Westerfield's sacrifice fly to right field. The Lady Bears scored what would prove to be their final run in the second after catcher Danelle Arnold ripped a leadoff single up the middle and advanced to second on a ground out by Nan Wilkins. Amber Daniel singled to right center field, scoring Arnold.
Vitek, with her seven strikeouts, now has 184 whiffs on the season, three shy of her school record 187 of last year. The victory was Vitek's fifth shutout and 13th complete game of the season. Her record now stands at 13-15.
The Lady Bears collected all six of their hits off Iowa State starter Jen Bice. Bice lasted three innings before Kristen Karanzias entered the game in the top of the fourth. Karanzias proceeded to shut the Lady Bears down the final four stanzas as no Baylor batters reached base. Bice's season record now stands at 0-6.
Kim Wilmoth was Baylor's top hitter, going 2-for-3 in the game. The most impressive defensive play of the game was turned in by second baseman Stacey Hundley. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Iowa State's Katie Ruby reached first on a single to right field. Hundley leaped up and snagged Lindsey Herrin's line drive and doubled Ruby off first to end the game.
"I was very pleased, especially with Cristin Vitek. That's the pitcher we have been looking for all year. She threw well last week against Kansas and we thought she was about to come out of her slump. She had more ball movement and made them chase some pitches. We did what we needed to do early. We played good enough defense and had good enough pitching to get the job done," said head coach Glenn Moore
The Lady Bears move to 30-27 on the season and enter the double-elimination portion of the Big 12 Tournament while Iowa State falls to 19-28.
