The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Baylor
Softball tops Baylor, 2-1
03.29.2006 | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- Amber Hall had an RBI triple in the fourth inning and then came in to score on a Baylor throwing error, giving the No. 1 Texas Softball team an early lead as the Longhorns went on to defeat the 20th-ranked Bears, 2-1, on Wednesday night at McCombs Field.
With the victory, Texas (36-3, 3-0 Big 12) won its third conference game in three outings, while Baylor (20-14, 2-2 Big 12) fell to .500 in league play.
Osterman (22-1) earned the win in the circle, allowing one run on one hit - a fifth-inning Chelsi Lake home run - with 15 strikeouts and two walks.
The Bears' Lisa Ferguson (11-8) threw the complete game, allowing two runs, both earned, on four hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
The Longhorns got all the runs they needed in the fourth. With one out, Desiree Williams hit a liner into left field, but Kelly Osburn was unable to field the ball as it screamed into play. After a stolen base planted Williams at second, Hall knocked her in with a triple that hit the center field wall over the head of Baylor outfielder Miriam Romero and kicked back toward the infield. Osburn picked up the ball and threw to third, but the ball sailed wide of the base and into the Texas dugout, allowing Hall to trot in for a 2-0 Texas lead.
In the next half-inning, Lake hit a lead-off solo home run, pulling the Bears within one run, 2-1. After two outs, Baylor had two runners on base courtesy of Ashley Monceaux and Kylie Conroy's back-to-back walks, but pinch-hitter Alex Colyer struck out to end the threat and close the inning. Those three hitters were the only three baserunners the Bears had all game.
After the first two innings when they retired in order, Texas had at least one base runner in each of the following five innings, but was unable to bring home additional runs.
Texas returns to action this weekend when the team travels to Iowa State for a two-game set. The Longhorns and Cyclones are set for a 2 p.m. game on Saturday, April 1, and a noon tilt on Sunday, April 2. Live stats for both games will be available at TexasSports.com.
