Courtesy of Baylor Athletics
THE RUNDOWN
OKLAHOMA City, Okla. – Jordan Strickland became just the 12th player in Women’s College World Series history to homer twice in a game, and Heather Stearns picked up her first win from the circle since May 3 in Baylor’s 7-2 win over Florida State at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium Saturday.
The win pushes Baylor 48-15 on the season, avoiding elimination in the eight-team double elimination WCWS, and Florida State’s season ends with its second loss of the WCWS with a 55-9 record.
Strickland hit two, two-run home runs in the second and sixth innings to give her 14 on the season, and it was her third multi-home run game of the year. She became just the third player in Baylor postseason history to home twice (Ashley Monceaux, 2007; Chelsi Lake, 2007), and Strickland is the first Baylor player in WCWS history to hit two four-baggers in a game. Her four RBI also was the most by a Baylor player in the WCWS.
Stearns, who made her first start since May 3 at Iowa State, improved to 14-4 on the year with her 4.2-inning outing where she allowed just four hits, two runs, walked four and struck out seven. She set the tone for the Lady Bears after Baylor fell 11-0 Thursday to Florida, by striking out the side against the Seminoles in the bottom half of the first inning.
Strickland’s first home run highlighted a three-run second, and Baylor added two runs in the fourth when Linsey Hays scored after Jordan Strickland reached on an error. Robin Landrith drove home Strickland with an RBI single to build Baylor’s lead to 5-0.
Florida State loaded the bases for the second time against Stearns in the fifth, and the Seminoles were able to scratch two runs on a Briana Hamilton single to cut the lead to three.
Whitney Canion came in relief of Stearns after Hamilton’s single and recorded the final seven outs to pick up her 10th career save and second of the season.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Jordan Strickland became the 12th player in Women’s College World Series history to hit two home runs in a game and is Baylor’s first to hit multiple home runs in the WCWS.
- Strickland’s two home runs gave her 14 on the season, and she’s had three multi-home-run games in 2014. She joined Chelsi Lake and Ashley Monceaux as the only other Baylor players to hit two home runs in a postseason game. Lake and Monceaux each accomplished that in the 2007 season.
- Strickland’s four RBI were the second most by a Baylor player in postseason history, and the most by a BU player at the WCWS.
- Strickland now has 13 career postseason RBI, which is tied for second all-time with Ashley Monceaux(2006-07).
- Linsey Hays went 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored becoming the 12th player in BU postseason history to have three hits in a postseason game.
- Baylor’s seven runs tied for the most scored in a WCWS game along with the Lady Bears’ seven runs in a 7-5 win over Texas A&M, June 2, 2007.
- Canion’s save was just the second save in Baylor postseason history. Tessa Lynam had a save for Baylor May 22, 2005 in the Auburn, Alabama Regional. It was the 10th career save for Canion, which ties Joni Miller (2000-03) for second all-time on the BU career saves list.
- Stearns’ start and win were the firsts for her in the 2014 season. Stearns improved to 3-1 all-time in the postseason.
- Clare Hosack broke an 0-for-20 slump at the plate in the postseason with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
- Robin Landrith’s RBI single in the fourth inning was her first career postseason RBI.
- Baylor is now 4-5 all-time in WCWS games and 34-20 all-time in the NCAA postseason.
- Baylor is now 4-2 all-time vs. Florida State, and 3-0 vs. the Seminoles in the postseason.
STAT OF THE GAME I
.460 – Jordan Strickland’s career batting average in the postseason in 50 at bats (23-50).
STAT OF THE GAME II
1 – Baylor left just one runner on base in the win over FSU while the Seminoles left eight.
THEY SAID IT
Glenn Moore on Baylor’s performance
“As a team we loaded the bus when we left Waco and we certainly knew we were a better team than showed up here in Oklahoma City. We’re glad to have an opportunity to do that. I’m extremely proud of Heather Stearns, who hasn’t thrown in a long, long time. We have tried to create game-like situations for Heather and Liz both in practices and we have been playing so well we haven’t had to go deep into our bullpen, but for her to sit and watch and warmed up and warmed up and came back out and didn’t get to pitch. For her to come out and throw a game like that against Florida State, a great-hitting team, just — I can’t say enough good things about her. It was an exceptionally well-pitched game and, you know, it’s Jordan swinging the bat. Really stepped up. I think our whole team was more relaxed this time, for whatever reason. We were uptight and dug a hole quick and weren’t able to climb out of it and it just continued to snowball. That’s not who we were. We knew that wasn’t who we were against Florida. This is a team that we have had all year and I’m very proud of the way they played. “THEY TWEETED IT
