March 30, 2006
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#20 BAYLOR (20-14, 2-2) TRAVELS TO MISSOURI (18-13, 2-0)
APRIL 1, 2006 - 2:00 PM
APRIL 2, 2006 - 1:00 PM
UNIVERSITY FIELD
COLUMBIA, MO.
THE SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, APRIL 1
Baylor at Missouri, 2:00 p.m.
SUNDAY, APRIL 2
Baylor at Missouri, 1:00 p.m.
THE SERIES
MISSOURI LEADS 19-12
Waco: Missouri leads 9-7
Columbia, Mo.: Missouri leads 5-3
Neutral: Missouri leads 5-2
Since 1996: Missouri leads 14-9
Current Streak: Missouri won 2
Baylor W-L Last 10: 4-6
LIVE COVERAGE
Radio: None
Live Audio: None
Live Video: None
Live Stats: www.BaylorBears.com
Television: None
The No. 20 Baylor softball team returns to action this week as the Lady Bears travel to Missouri for a two-game, Big 12 Conference series beginning on Saturday, April 1, at 2:00 p.m.
Baylor enters the series with the Tigers after falling to top-ranked Texas, 2-1, on Wednesday. Baylor's Chelsi Lake hit a solo home run off of Texas All-American pitcher Cat Osterman; however, it was not enough as the Lady Bears fell to the Longhorns by a run.
Missouri enters the weekend series one-half game out of first place in the Big 12 Conference standings as the Tigers swept Oklahoma in Big 12 action last weekend. The Tigers stepped out of conference play during this past week as Missouri dropped two-of-three at UNLV.
The teams met five times during the 2005 season as Baylor captured three wins against the Tigers a year ago. However, Missouri won two in a row at the Big 12 Conference Championships, eliminating the Lady Bears as the Tigers advanced to the championship game.
Missouri owns a 19-12 edge in the series as the Tigers also hold a 14-9 edge over the Lady Bears since Big 12 Conference play began in 1996.
Fans can catch live stats for the two-game set via GameTracker on www.BaylorBears.com.
LADY BEARS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CLUTCH HITTING
Off to a 20-14 start on the season, the Baylor softball team has taken advantage of clutch hitting in key situation as high percentage of the Lady Bears' runs have come with two outs in the inning. Of the 148 runs scored by Baylor so far this season, 64 (40 percent) have come on two-out RBI hits.
Freshman Brette Reagan leads the team with 17 RBI with two outs as the tandem is currently leading a Baylor team that is hitting .274 (78-of-285) on the year with two outs while opponents are only hitting .215 (59-of-274) in the same situation.
SCOUTING MISSOURI
Missouri enters the two-game series losers of two-of-three in a three game series against UNLV on Monday and Tuesday. However, the Tigers opened conference play by sweeping a two-game series at Oklahoma last weekend.
Missouri is led by Jen Bruck, last week's Big 12 Conference player of the week, who leads the team with a .390 average and 29 runs scored. In addition, the Tigers feature Micaela Minner, who leads the team with eight home runs and 35 RBI.
Bruck leads the Tigers in the circle as well as the right-hander leads the team with a 16-8 record. In 132.2 innings of work, Bruck has posted a 2.80 ERA while holding opponents to a .233 batting average on the season.
Missouri leads the all-time series with the Lady Bears, 19-12; however, Baylor took three-of-five from the Tigers last year.
SCHWETHELM REACHES 200 CAREER HITS
With four hits in the double-header sweep of Texas State, Baylor outfielder Harmony Schwethelm became only the fifth player in school history to reach the 200-hit plateau for her career. Schwethelm has pushed her career total to 217 after collecting a hit in the loss against Texas A&M.
Schwethelm ranks third on Baylor's career hits list and is now 31 hits shy of breaking the Baylor career record of 247 held by Naomi Fitzgerald (1998-2001).
Senior Kelly Osburn is also closing in on the 200-hit mark as the outfielder is only six hits shy of the milestone.
SCHWETHELM BREAKS CAREER STOLEN BASE RECORD
With a steal of second in the 6-5 win over No. 13 Washington, Harmony Schwethelm became Baylor's career stolen base leader, surpassing Kim Wilmoth (91, 2002-05) with 92 in her career. For her career, Schwethelm now has 94 stolen bases in 109 attempts as the senior closes in on 100 stolen bases for her career.
Schwethelm, who has only been caught stealing 15 times in her career, has a stolen base percentage of .861 to rank second on the Baylor career charts.
Chelsi Lake BREAKS RBI CAREER MILESTONE
With a RBI single to make the score 6-4 against No. 13 Washington, junior Chelsi Lake recorded the 102nd of her career as she became Baylor's career leader in the category, surpassing Sarah Caudle who drove in 101 runs from 2000-2003.
Earlier in the year, Lake became only the second player in school history to pass the career 100-RBI club as the junior will shatter the previous career record. Heading into this weekend, Lake has recorded 111 RBI during her two-plus year career.
Senior Kelly Osburn is also close to the RBI century mark as the senior has drove in 84 runs during her career and is 16 RBI shy from the milestone.
LADY BEARS PICKED THIRD IN BIG 12 CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
In a pre-season vote conducted by league coaches, the Baylor softball team has been picked to finish third in the Big 12 Conference the conference office announced Thursday. The third-place preseason prediction marks the highest the Lady Bears have appeared in the league preseason vote. Prior to the third-place selection, the highest the Lady Bears have been tabbed in the preseason poll was fourth, in 2003 and 2005.
Defending Big 12 Conference champion Texas A&M was picked to repeat as league champion while Texas was selected to finish second.
UP NEXT...
Baylor steps out of Big 12 Conference play and travels to Huntsville, Texas, for a doubleheader with Sam Houston State on Wednesday, April 5, at 4:00 p.m.
