May 1, 2008
Final Stats
The Baylor softball team (23-21, 4-13) gave Oklahoma all it could handle, but it was not enough as the Lady Bears dropped a pair of heartbreakers, 4-0 and 9-4 (12 innings) in their last regular season games at Getterman Stadium on Wednesday night.
The 12 inning nightcap lasted three hours and 28 minutes and was the longest game since Baylor defeated North Carolina, 1-0 in 16 innings back on May 20, 2004.
Oklahoma got the scoring going in the first when a single to second base on a near catch by Meagan Weldon scored Flores, who doubled, from third.
Baylor answered in the bottom of the fourth as Brette Reagan hit a missal over the left center field fence for her eighth home run of the season, tying the game at one apiece.
The Sooners added three in the fifth off of two hits, two walks and a hit batter. Brittany Turner relieved starter Shaina Brock three batters in, but was taken out after facing just three batters of her own.
The Lady Bears clawed their way back, beginning with a single by Tiffany Wesley, who was then brought around to score as Jordan Daniels tripled over the left fielder's head. Daniels came in to score after an error on the shortstop, minimizing the Oklahoma lead to just one.
The Sooners' one run advantage lasted until the bottom of the seventh, when Baylor made its comeback complete. Daniels led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch, and advanced to second on a walk by Weldon. Back-to-back fielder's choice plays left the bases loaded with one out, but Nicole Wesley's fly ball to left was not deep enough to score Weldon from third. Reagan stepped to the plate, and singled a 2-2 pitch into the hole at short, bringing Weldon across the plate for the tying run.
Brock continued her solid pitching into extra innings, allowing the Lady Bears every opportunity to win the game.
Courtney Oberg led off the eighth with a double down the right field line. Daniels was intentionally walked, and with two outs, pinch hitter Colby Vanham took a free pass, loading the bases for Shortridge, who grounded out.
Baylor and Oklahoma took turns stranding runners until the 12th, when the Sooners busted it open. With Flores placed on second (per International tiebreak rules) and one out, Ogden doubled to left field, adding the first extra inning run of the game. Four more hits and four more runs followed, as the Lady Bears could not answer in the bottom of the inning.
Shaina Brock (4-5) threw a gritty game, throwing 184 pitches over 11 innings, allowing 10 hits, seven runs, six earned, two walks and three strikeouts. Turner's relief outing lasted .1 innings, giving up one hit, one earned run and one walk. Jenny Isham, who relieved Brock in the 12th, went .2 innings, allowing two hits one earned run and one walk.
D.J. Mathis (27-5) picked up the win for OU, going eight innings and allowing just one run in relief.
Game one was a pitcher's duel between Mathis and Shortridge.
Baylor's best chance came in the fourth, as the Lady Bears had runners on the corners with one out, but Oberg lined out to the pitcher who threw over the third for the double play.
With Oklahoma clinging to a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth, a hit and a hit batsmen put two on, and an intentional walk loaded the bases with two out. Anderson then stepped up and laced a ball into left center. Both Wesley's dove after the ball, but neither could come up with it, as it rolled to the wall and cleared the bases for a triple and 4-0 lead.
Shortridge (5-9) took the loss, going six innings, giving up four hits, four earned runs, five walks and four strikeouts. Turner threw an inning of solid relief, allowing one walk and striking out one. Baylor will await its seeding in the Big 12 Tournament, but will play in the one of the opening round games on Friday, May 9 at 5 p.m. in Oklahoma City, Okla.
