OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Two home runs by Baylor shortstop Jordan Strickland provided plenty of offense for the Bears on Saturday at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla., as BU eliminated Florida State from the Women’s College World Series, 7-2.
Strickland finished the match-up by going 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored, two HR’s and four RBIs, while left fielder Linsey Hays was a perfect 3-for-3 with a trio of tallies. Catcher Clare Hosack was 2-for-3, designated player Robin Landrith was 1-for-3 with an RBI and third baseman Sarah Smith knocked in a run via a groundout. For Florida State, third baseman Briana Hamilton provided the big blow with a two-run single in the fifth as part of a 1-for-4 effort at the dish.
Heather Stearns (14-4) earned the triumph from the circle for Baylor, allowing two earned runs on four hits with four walks and seven strikeouts over 4.2 frames, while NFCA All-American pitcher Whitney Canion earned a save by giving up one hit over 2.1 innings. Florida State’s Lacey Waldrop, the 2014 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year, completed her campaign at 38-7 overall after permitting three earned tallies on six hits with a trio of strikeouts over four frames.
Box Score | Baylor Quotes | Florida St Quotes | Notes
"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," Baylor head coach Glenn Moore said. "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. 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.
In perhaps a surprise move while facing elimination on Saturday against the Seminoles, Baylor started Stearns instead of Canion in the circle. The decision looked truly inspired early on as the Bear hurler struck out NFCA All-American shortstop Maddie O’Brien, second baseman Tiffany Brown and center fielder Courtney Senas in order during the bottom of the first.
Hosack became the game’s initial base runner for either squad opening the top of the second by ripping a Waldrop pitch back up the middle. Hays stepped to the plate and hit what looked like a tailor-made double play ball to second base. O’Brien raced over from her position at short in an attempt to corral the orb, but watched the ball strike the second base bag, ricocheting past everyone into center field as Hosack strolled into third. With two stationed in scoring position following a stolen base, Smith hit a routine bouncer to third for an RBI as BU nabbed a quick 1-0 advantage. Taking that sure out in an attempt to perhaps prevent a big inning didn’t work out as Strickland immediately followed with a two-run blast to left center as Baylor raced in front by three tallies.
Florida State’s offense finally got a threat started against Stearns with two outs in the bottom of the third as right fielder Alex Kossoff singled back to the circle and both O’Brien and Brown walked to load the bases. FSU’s Super Regional walk-off heroine Senas stepped to the dish facing a huge spot but struck out swinging as the ‘Noles left the trio stranded.
With Baylor having escaped a jam in the third, the Bear offense made a strong bid to add more on the scoreboard in the fourth. Hosack again got things started with a leadoff single, advancing to third on a shot to right center from Hays. With Strickland in the batter’s box, Baylor attempted a delayed double steal but Hosack was cut down at the plate for the second retirement of the frame. Just when it looked as if the BU threat might go for naught, a fielding miscue at third base and an RBI single to right from designated player Robin Landrith combined to plate a pair of unearned tallies as Baylor’s lead expanded to 5-0.
Kossoff and O’Brien again got something going for Florida State in the bottom of the fifth, registering a base knock and a walk to place a pair on base with one down. Brown hit a troublesome roller into the hole between the circle and short and tore down the base line. The throw to first was low as Brown slid in safely for a hit, packing the bags full of Seminoles. Senas stepped into the box facing another big spot and hit the ball solidly but right at the left fielder for out number two. Desperately needing a big hit, Hamilton provided one by ripping a two-RBI single up the middle, cutting the Baylor advantage to 5-2. Moore made the call to the bullpen, summoning in Canion for a relief appearance. The NFCA All-American managed to get Baylor out of the frame with no further damage, but not without a scare as left fielder Kelly Hensley’s towering drive to left was tracked down at the wall to preserve the three-run Bear lead.
Strickland got the two tallies right back for Baylor in the top of the sixth, cashing in a Hays bunt single by crushing her second HR of the contest down the left field line to make it 7-2.
With time running short for the Seminoles in the bottom of the sixth, a double to center from first baseman Ellie Cooper and a walk got FSU back in business again with no outs. Following a long fly out to left center from Gomez, Kossoff and O’Brien were victims of some bad fortune, however, as each hit a ball “on the screws” but right to the shortstop as the threat came to an unsuccessful end.
From there Canion finished off the 7-2 victory, eliminating Florida State from the WCWS by retiring Brown, Senas and Hamilton in order during the bottom of the seventh.
