Baylor 5, Missouri 4 (11 Innings)

May 2, 2003

Baylor sophomore Stephanie Pomes hit a first pitch home run in the top of the 11th inning as the No. 10 seed Baylor Lady Bears eliminated No. 3 Missouri, 5-4, in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Tournament. The win marks the first time in the eight-year history of the tournament that Baylor has won two games. It also marked the first time the No. 10 seed has won two games in the tourney and the first time the No. 3 seed has gone 0-2.

Baylor led 4-0 after five innings, highlighted by a three-run home run by senior Sarah Caudle in the fifth inning. Missouri scored one run in the sixth and tied the game with a three-run seventh inning to send the game into extra innings. MU freshman Kendra Power hit a two run double and senior Sara Vassmer added an RBI single in the seventh.

Both teams had their chances prior to the 11th as Baylor left the bases loaded in the top of the eighth and Missouri stranded three base runners in the bottom of the 10th.

Pomes' home run cleared the right field fence for her fourth home run of the season. Baylor reliever Katie Decker picked up the win. The junior relieved starter Cristin Vitek in the seventh inning and went the final four frames to improve to 9-6 on the season. Missouri starter Erin Kalka took the loss to fall to 19-12. Kalka went 7.1 innings and was relieved by Samantha Fleeman for 3.1 innings. Kalka re-entered the game in the 11th inning for the Tigers.

Baylor, 31-28, will now face the loser of the No. 1 Texas-No. 4 Oklahoma game on Saturday, May 3 at 10 a.m., in another elimination game. Missouri fell to 31-18 and lost its fifth straight game in the tournament dating back to the 2001.

Baylor Coach Glenn Moore
On winning the game in the 11th inning:
"We've been in that identical situation so many times this year and it hasn't worked out in our favor but our kids have never quit. Again today they didn't quit and the laws of averages caught up with us and we got the win. I was very proud of their performance today."

On making history as the first 10 seed to win two games in the tournament:
"I wasn't aware of that, but having that thought in mind it alludes to the fact that we have a lot of parity in this conference. There's not a lot of difference between the No. 1 and 10 teams in this conference. Anybody is capable of beating anybody and we proved that today."

Missouri Coach Ty Singleton
On Missouri's performance:
"One of the things that we talked about before the game was that we needed to make sure we did a great job on every pitch to be in this moment. And we didn't play with passion and aggressiveness at the start of the game and I have to say that disappointed me. We finished strong and we need to take that on through the rest of the season."
On Baylor:
"It was a good fight in the seventh inning so I want to praise (Baylor) for putting up their fight and coming back to win the game. Being up 4-0 and then coming back to win 5-4 was impressive so I want to makes sure that they get recognized for their effort."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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