May 20, 2005
Box Score
AUBURN, Ala. --- Behind Lisa Ferguson's three-hit, shutout performance, the No. 10 Baylor softball team advanced in the winner's bracket of the NCAA Softball Championships with a 1-0 win over Florida A&M in action at Jane B. Moore Field. Baylor improves to 48-17 on the season as the Lady Bears move on to face Florida State, a 5-0 winner over Auburn, at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 21.
With the loss, Florida A&M falls to 37-32 on the season and will play Auburn in an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 21.
"I thought Lisa (Ferguson) did a terrific job," head coach Glenn Moore said. "Give Florida A&M a lot of credit. They came ready to play and their pitcher (Monique Mattingly) did a good job of keeping our hitters off-balance. We were able to get a key two-out hit and that was the difference in the game."
After a scoreless first three-and-a-half innings, Baylor got on the board first when Stephanie Pomes delivered a key two-out hit. After Kim Wilmoth singled with one out and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Carrie Leerberg, Pomes drove the first pitch from Florida A&M starter Monique Mattingly to right field, scoring Wilmoth from second as Baylor grabbed a 1-0 lead.
Florida A&M had a good opportunity to grab the lead in the fourth, placing runners at second and third with only one out. However, Baylor starter Lisa Ferguson worked out of the jam by striking out Lisa Dronkers before forcing Ruby Nugent to pop out to second to end the Rattlers scoring threat.
The Rattlers did not threaten to score again as Ferguson tossed her second complete-game shutout of the season as the sophomore improved to 18-5 on the season. In seven innings of work, Ferguson allowed only three hits while striking out six.
Mattingly pitched well in the loss as she fell to 11-10 on the season after allowing a run on five hits in six innings of work.
The win was the 350th career victory for Baylor head coach Glenn Moore. In seven-plus seasons as a head coach, Moore now has a career record of 350-140.
Wilmoth led the Lady Bear attack, going 2-for-3 with a run scored as the Lady Bears improved to 3-2 all-time at the NCAA Championships.
