April 14, 2007
Box Score
WACO, Texas --- Trailing 3-1 heading into the final inning, Baylor rallied for three runs, highlighted by senior catcher Chelsi Lake's walk-off, two run blast, as the Lady Bears claimed a thrilling, 4-3 victory over Oklahoma State in action at Getterman Stadium on Saturday. With the victory, Baylor claimed its 12th straight win to improve to 38-9 overall and a perfect 8-0 in Big 12 Conference play. Oklahoma State fell to 24-23, 2-6 in conference play, with the loss.
"Well, like Yogi Berra said, `It ain't over `til it's over' and we came through in a big way when it mattered most," head coach Glenn Moore said. "Chelsi (Lake) was not going to let this team lose today; and, like she usually does, she managed to come through for us at the most important time."
Brette Reagan got the rally started in the seventh as the third baseman took a 2-1 pitch from Oklahoma State hurler Jessica Hoppock and drilled it over the left-center field wall, her seventh home run of the season, to cut the lead to 3-2.
Ashley Monceaux would continue the Baylor rally by lining a single to center field to set up Lake's heroics. It would only take one pitch to decide things as Lake drilled the first pitch from Hoppock off the scoreboard in center field, setting off a wild celebration at home plate to give the Lady Bears a 4-3, come-from-behind victory.
The blast was Lake's eighth home run of the season and the 42nd of her career. In addition, it was the third, walk-off home run of her career as the senior hit a walk-off grand slam in a win over Nebraska in 2005 and delivered a walk-off, two-run home run in the win over Portland State at the 2006 NCAA Corvallis Regional.
Until the seventh inning, things just did not go the Lady Bears way. While Baylor left nine runners on base through the first six innings, Oklahoma State made the most of its opportunities, scoring single runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings to build a two-run lead.
After Tiffany Wesley scored in the first inning on a ground-out by Reagan to give Baylor the early advantage, Oklahoma State tied the contest as Emily Blackburn scored on a fielding error in the third to tie the contest.
The Cowgirls then took the lead on Kim Kaye's sacrifice fly in the fourth before Krystle Sanchez delivered a RBI single in the seventh to make the score 3-1.
The insurance run would prove to be not enough; however, as the Lady Bears claimed its third, come-from-behind win in Big 12 Conference play.
Baylor starter Lisa Ferguson had another strong outing and picked up her eighth straight victory as she improved to 18-4 on the season after allowing only two runs on four hits in the complete-game effort.
Hoppock took the loss for Oklahoma State and fell to 24-23 on the season after allowing four runs on 11 hits in 6.1 innings of work.
Reagan, Monceaux, Lake and Courtney Oberg each picked up two hits in the win as the three-through-seven hitters for the Lady Bears combined to go 8-of-15 with three runs and four RBI in the contest.
In addition to her late-inning heroics, Lake added another career mark to her growing list as she became Baylor's career leader in doubles (44) with a two-base hit in the second inning, surpassing Kelly Osburn who hit 43 doubles from 2003-06.
Baylor will look to pick up the series sweep when the teams conclude the two-game series with a meeting on Sunday, April 15, at 1:00 p.m.
