May 12, 2005
Box Score
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --- The No. 7 Baylor softball team advanced in the winner's bracket of the 2005 Big 12 Conference Tournament with a 7-3 win over No. 18 Missouri in action at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. With the win, fourth-seeded Baylor (46-10) moves on to face top-seeded Texas A&M at 4:30 p.m. today in a game televised regionally by Fox Sports Net.
Baylor jumped on the Tigers early, exploding for six runs on four hits in the bottom of the first to grab the early 6-0 lead. After Kelly Osburn led off the game with a double and advanced to third on a passed ball, Harmony Schwethelm brought her home with a single up a middle to give Baylor the 1-0 lead. Schwethelm later scored on an error to give the Lady Bears a 2-0 lead as Stephanie Pomes followed with a deep fly ball to center field, scoring Lynam from third on the sacrifice fly to give BU a three-run cushion.
With two outs, Melissa Huffhines provided the key blast in the inning as she launched a three-run home run, her second of the season, well over the left field fence to give Baylor the six-run advantage.
Missouri chipped into the lead with two runs in the third; however, Baylor extended the lead back to five with a run in the fourth. After a double by Kylie Conroy with one out, Osburn hit a double off the left field wall, scoring Conroy to give the Lady Bears a 7-2 lead.
The Tigers added a run in the fifth on a home run by Jen Bruck; however, Lisa Ferguson came into the game in relief and pitched the final 1.2 innings of the game to record her third save of the season. The save was the 11th of her career, establishing a new Baylor career save record.
Tessa Lynam picked up the win for Baylor and improved to 11-2 on the season after allowing three runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings of work.
Jen Bruck took the loss for Missouri (38-12) and fell to 15-4 on the season after allowing three runs on three hits and left the game without recording an out.
Osburn led the Lady Bears attack, going 3-for-3 with two doubles as Huffhines drove in three runs for Baylor.
The win was the third for Baylor over Missouri this season after the Lady Bears swept a two-game series against the Tigers in Waco.
The meeting with the Aggies will be the third of the season between the teams. Texas A&M won both contests against the Lady Bears, winning the games by identical scores of 7-1.The contest against the top-seed will be televised live in the Waco area by Fox Sports Net.
