April 27, 2006
WACO, Texas - Tessa Lynam's three-run home run over the center field scoreboard highlighted the No. 18 Baylor softball team's sixth straight victory as the Lady Bears cruised to a 7-3 win over North Texas in action at Getterman Stadium. With the victory, Baylor improves to 34-17 on the season while North Texas falls to 18-31 on the year with the loss.
"It is nice to return home and get a hard-fought, mid-week victory," head coach Glenn Moore said. "We were able to answer each run they (North Texas) scored; and, I think it showed the team was focused with the task at hand instead of looking ahead to an important weekend series with Iowa State."
After a scoreless first inning, Lynam's tape-measure home run put the Lady Bears up by three in the second inning. Following a Chelsi Lake double and Kylie Conroy single, Lynam took a 2-0 pitch and drilled it to straightaway center field and over the scoreboard as Baylor grabbed a quick, 3-0 lead. The home run was Lynam's 12th of the season and the team's, Big 12 Conference leading 62nd of the year.
North Texas answered the three-run outburst with a pair of runs in the fourth to cut the lead to one; however, Baylor answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to make the score 4-2. Following Lake's second double of the game, Ashley Monceaux tripled off the right-center field wall, scoring Lake from second to give the Lady Bears a two-run cushion.
The Mean Green responded with a run in the fifth; however, a bizarre, three-run inning in the bottom of the frame put the game away for the Lady Bears. After Kelly Osburn scored on a throwing error to make the score 5-3, Harmony Schwethelm was ruled safe at home due to obstruction by the North Texas catcher to make the score 6-3. Freshman Brette Reagan beat out a close play at home to close out the scoring in the inning as Baylor took a 7-3 lead heading into the sixth.
Monceaux closed out the Mean Green the rest of the way as the junior retired all six batters she faced, striking out four, as Baylor claimed the four-run victory.
Freshman Brittany Turner picked up the victory for Baylor after allowing one earned run on five hits in five innings of work as she improved to 5-3 on the year.
Kristina Fowler took the loss for North Texas after allowing seven runs on nine hits in six innings of work as she fell to 15-17 on the season. Lake and Monceaux each recorded two hits to lead the Lady Bears as Baylor claimed its ninth straight win over the Mean Green.
Baylor will return to conference action on Saturday, April 29, when the Lady Bears host Iowa State for the beginning of a two-game series at 2:00 p.m.
