May 3, 2003
Box Score?|? Photo Gallery
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Fourth-ranked Oklahoma scored one run on three hits in the bottom of the first inning and that lead stood as the Sooners defeated Baylor 1-0 here Saturday in third-day action at the Big 12 Conference Tournament. The Lady Bears (31-29) are eliminated from the tournament with the loss after lasting longer than any No. 10 seed in the eight-year history of the tournament.
With one out in the bottom of the first, Erin Evans singled to the hole at short, and Leah Gulla followed with a punch single into right field. After Baylor starter Cristin Vitek struck out Christina Enea, Kelli Braitsch singled up the middle to score Erin Evans.
That proved to be enough offense for Oklahoma starter Kami Keiter. Baylor got a base runner in four of seven innings, but the Lady Bears could not string together hits the way the Sooners did in the first inning.
"Obviously they swung the bats better than we did, but we had a great performance out of our pitcher," head coach Glenn Moore said. "They only got five hits on the scoreboard, but they hit the ball hard at times. There was little doubt who was the more talented team out there, but it was anybody's game until it was over."
After the first frame, Vitek (13-16) settled into a groove, allowing only two hits the rest of the way. She finished with one walk and four strikeouts on the day.
"We got a great performance out of Kristin," Moore said. "She's been struggling this whole year, but she came out today and put together a great game. We just could put enough hits together to get her a run which was unfortunate. Overall, I was very pleased with our kids' effort."
Keiter (28-6) allowed just three hits and struck out four with no walks. The Sooners (40-11) committed one error, but Keiter kept that miscue from hurting her.
Baylor threatened in the top of the first. On the game's initial pitch, Kelly Levesque produced a bunt single that slipped under the glove of Gulla at third. Stacey Hundley then sacrificed Levesque to second, but Keiter got Kelly Osburn to pop up and Sarah Caudle to strikeout, ending the inning.
Hundley and Kim Wilmoth provided Baylor its other two hits on the day. Catcher Danelle Arnold was 2-for-2 in throwing out would-be base stealers.
Notes: With Oklahoma's 1-0 victory over Baylor, each of the first 11 games at the 2003 Big 12 Tournament has been won by the team that scored first. ... Baylor's senior class graduates with 145 wins, the most of any class in the program's history. The class of 2002 finished with 144 victories. ... Kim Wilmoth swiped her 21st base of the season Saturday, matching her 2002 total for the third-best single-season stolen base total in school history. ... As a team, the Lady Bears finish the season with 119 stolen bases, a school record and second all-time in the Big 12.
