No. 13 Baylor snaps No. 12 Oklahoma's 14-game win streak

WACO, Texas -- In a game with three ties and four lead changes, No. 12 Baylor (30-9, 4-3) took the final game of a three-game Big 12 series with No. 13 Oklahoma (32-9, 9-1) 8-6 to avoid a sweep Sunday at Getterman Stadium. The Lady Bears snapped the Sooners’ 14-game winning streak and ended OU’s streak of nine-consecutive Big 12 wins to start the season.

Ari Hawkins sparked Baylor’s offense with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first and later scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth on LInsey Hays’ sacrifice fly.

The game was delayed one hour and 23 minutes before the start of the top of the fifth inning with Baylor trailing 6-5. However, the Lady Bears put together a three-run bottom of the sixth inning. Holly Holl drove home a run with a bases-loaded single to tie the score, Hays drove home Hawkins on a shallow fly to center with Hawkins’ timely slide beating the throw, and Sarah Smith scored on a wild pitch to give BU a two-run lead.

Liz Paul became Baylor’s career leader in relief appearances (56), and maybe a little eariler in the game than she had planned. Paul came in relief of Heather Stearns with one out and one runner on in the top of the first inning. From there, she dutifully kept Baylor within striking distance allowing just three earned runs in 5.1 innings of work.

Baylor ace Whitney Canion finally got her win in the series after pitching well in Friday and Saturday’s losses to OU. She recorded the final four outs Sunday consecutively and struck out four to move to 17-7 on the season. OU’s Kelsey Stevens (23-6) was charged with the loss after she pitched the final two innings and was credited with surrendering Baylor’s final two runs.