No. 7 Kaitlyn Thumann crosses third base in the third inning to score the third run for the Baylor Lady Bears in their 10-5 thumping of the Texas Tech Red Raiders Friday night at Baylor's Getterman Stadium.
No. 7 Kaitlyn Thumann crosses third base in the third inning to score the third run for the Baylor Lady Bears in their 10-5 thumping of the Texas Tech Red Raiders Friday night at Baylor’s Getterman Stadium. – Lariat Photo
A six-run sixth inning spurred No. 15 Baylor (39-13, 10-6)to a series-clinching, 10-5 win over Texas Tech (29-26, 3-14)Friday evening at Getterman Stadium.
“I think our offense made a statement there in the sixth,” head coach Glenn Moore said. “The offense really picked up our pitching tonight and look to be clicking right now. We just need our pitchers to come back around.”
All nine starters reached base, while eight collected hits in the 10-hit outing for BU. Sarah Smith each registered two hits apiece, while Kaitlyn Thumann reached in all four plate appearances with three walks and a two-run single.
Heather Stearns got the start, going 4.2 innings, allowing three runs, no walks and five strikeouts. Whitney Canion came on in relief, picking up her 23rd win of the year, going 2.1 innings, giving up five hits and two runs, no walks and striking out a pair.
Kathy Shelton got the Lady Bears offense going in the third with a leadoff triple en route to a four-run inning. Holly Holl drew a walk and stole second to reach scoring position before Thumann laced a single down the left field field line for a 2-0 lead. Smith then followed with an RBI-single to center that scored Thumann from second, giving BU its three-run advantage. Cara Custer came on in relief of starter Gretchen Aucoin and gave up an RBI-single up the middle from Hosack for the 4-0 lead.Texas Tech Head Coach Shanon Hays expresses his views of a call at home plate in the Red Raiders 10-5 loss to the Baylor Lady Bears Friday night at Getterman Stadium. –Lariat Photo
Tech cut the lead in half with three doubles, two that scored runs, for a 4-2 Baylor advantage.
Canion came on with two outs in the fifth, allowing an RBI-triple that made the lead one.
The Red Raiders added one more in the sixth to even the game.
The Baylor bats came alive with a six-run, five-hit outburst to put the game out of reach.Thumann’s walk set off a string of five-consecutive hits for the Lady Bears, that along with sac flies from Jill Reid and Kathy Shelton, made for six-straight RBI. Sarah Smith doubled to put runners at second and third for a Strickland RBI-single to center. Haysfollowed with an RBI-single to right before Hosack went to left for a single and run scored. Chalmers got in on the action with an RBI of her own before the sac flies made the game 10-4.
The Red Raiders added one more run in the top of the seventh before Canion closed out the game with a strikeout.
“Tomorrow will be a day with a lot of distractions, so we need to be focused,” Moore said. “We need to send our seniors out with a win on their final game.”
Saturday will be Senior Day, as Baylor will go for the sweep beginning at Noon on Fox Sports Southwest. Festivities will begin immediately following the game.
