April 10, 2004
Box Score
WACO, Texas - A five-run fourth inning blew open a tied game as the No. 20 Baylor softball team claimed a 7-3 victory in five innings over Texas Tech in action at Getterman Stadium. With the rain shortened victory, Baylor swept the two-game series with the Red Raiders and improved to 37-9 on the season and to 7-2 in conference play.
The Lady Bears grabbed an early 2-0 lead over Texas Tech with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. Kelly Osburn led off the inning with her sixth home run of the season, a blast that cleared the left-center field wall, to give the Lady Bears an early one run lead. Harmony Schwethelm extended the Lady Bears lead to two runs when she scored from third on a passed ball later in the inning.
Texas Tech would rally in the top of the fourth, tying the game with a pair of runs. With no outs and runners on second and third, Texas Tech's Kelly Rhyne scored on a wild pitch from Baylor's Cristin Vitek to cut the lead to 2-1.
Following a 61 minute rain delay, the Red Raiders tied the game on Britney Stolle's sacrifice fly to score Natalie Enderlin and erase Baylor's two run lead.
The Lady Bears managed to blow the game open in the bottom of the inning, however, scoring five runs to take a commanding 7-2 lead. Baylor was aided by two Texas Tech errors in the inning, as the Lady Bears scored three unearned runs in the frame.
Stephanie Pomes drove in the Lady Bears first run in the inning, lacing a double to left-center to score Leerberg from first for a 3-2 lead. Schwethelm managed to drive in the game-winning run for Baylor with a single deep in the hole at shortstop, allowing pinch-runner Amber Daniel to score for a 4-2 lead.
The final three runs of the inning were unearned, as Osburn, Schwethelm and Kim Wilmoth scored on consecutive fielding errors to give Baylor a 7-2 lead.
Texas Tech rallied for a run in the fifth, however, Vitek managed to work out of the inning as the game was called shortly thereafter, securing Baylor's seventh conference victory of the year.
Schwethelm had three of the six Lady Bear hits on the day, going a perfect three for three at the plate with a RBI and two runs scored.
Vitek improved to 22-4 on the season, tossing two innings of relief while allowing only one unearned run.
Julie Hauk (2-8) took the loss for Texas Tech, allowing five runs, two earned, in 1.2 innings of work.
Baylor will return to action on Wednesday, April 14, when the Lady Bears travel to College State, Texas, to face Texas A&M at 6:30 p.m.
