- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 395,984
- Reaction score
- 43
STILLWATER — Lillie Walker came home to pitch, and Oklahoma showed up to watch.
With 15 2/3 innings pitched across the weekend against Oklahoma State and a shutout win in Game 1, the Inola native dazzled in her first collegiate homecoming outside of last year’s Women’s College World Series appearance with Duke.
Walker, now a grad transfer at Baylor, probably didn’t intend to be the center of attention in her return to the Sooner State, but her presence may have played a role in drawing a record-breaking crowd to Cowgirl Stadium over the weekend.
The Cowgirls’ three-game series with the Bears drew 5,096 fans — the most ever for a home series in Stillwater. The previous mark was 4,920, set against rival Oklahoma in 2023 before OSU added additional bleacher seating beyond the right-field wall. Even last season’s high-profile visit from Texas pulled in just 4,612.
Although Walker was hesitant to take credit for the record-setting turnout, she did acknowledge the large contingent of family and friends who made the trip from Inola, Tulsa and even Waco.
“It was great to be with my family, seeing them sitting up in the stands and watching me take it to the team that I've watched since I was young,” Walker said. “I don't know if that's maybe what it (the record) was from, but I definitely had a lot of family here — people that live around here who are close and friends and stuff.”
Her father, Joe Walker, estimated that more than 20 people from Inola attended the series on any given day, including several more from around Tulsa and Baylor’s campus.
But while proud of his daughter’s impact, Joe Walker wasn’t convinced the Lillie wave rivaled the Sooners’ usual draw.
Bedlam is still Bedlam, after all.
“I would encourage OSU to recount the attendance because I don't know that Baylor is going to bring the most fans against OSU,” Joe Walker said in a humorous tone. “I could be wrong, but we brought quite a few friends here that wanted to come see Lillie play because this is really her first series to get to play in Oklahoma, other than the world series last year. There've been a lot of people who have wanted to see Lillie play who haven’t gotten a chance to. We played all over the country, but not in Oklahoma.”
Regardless of the math, there is no denying Lillie Walker’s impact on the weekend.
In front of that record-setting crowd, Lillie Walker threw two complete games — including an 8.2-inning marathon in Sunday’s extra-inning finale — and allowed just one earned run the entire series.
Although the Bears dropped the series 2-1, Lillie Walker left an undeniable impression both on the field and in the stands, for the weekend served as a homecoming that brought out not just family, but history as well.
“It’s just a lot of fun,” Joe Walker said. “A lot of family from out-of-state and in-state came, and it was a good time.
"I’m really proud of her — I think she did great.”
Continue reading...
With 15 2/3 innings pitched across the weekend against Oklahoma State and a shutout win in Game 1, the Inola native dazzled in her first collegiate homecoming outside of last year’s Women’s College World Series appearance with Duke.
Walker, now a grad transfer at Baylor, probably didn’t intend to be the center of attention in her return to the Sooner State, but her presence may have played a role in drawing a record-breaking crowd to Cowgirl Stadium over the weekend.
The Cowgirls’ three-game series with the Bears drew 5,096 fans — the most ever for a home series in Stillwater. The previous mark was 4,920, set against rival Oklahoma in 2023 before OSU added additional bleacher seating beyond the right-field wall. Even last season’s high-profile visit from Texas pulled in just 4,612.
Although Walker was hesitant to take credit for the record-setting turnout, she did acknowledge the large contingent of family and friends who made the trip from Inola, Tulsa and even Waco.
“It was great to be with my family, seeing them sitting up in the stands and watching me take it to the team that I've watched since I was young,” Walker said. “I don't know if that's maybe what it (the record) was from, but I definitely had a lot of family here — people that live around here who are close and friends and stuff.”
Her father, Joe Walker, estimated that more than 20 people from Inola attended the series on any given day, including several more from around Tulsa and Baylor’s campus.
But while proud of his daughter’s impact, Joe Walker wasn’t convinced the Lillie wave rivaled the Sooners’ usual draw.
Bedlam is still Bedlam, after all.
“I would encourage OSU to recount the attendance because I don't know that Baylor is going to bring the most fans against OSU,” Joe Walker said in a humorous tone. “I could be wrong, but we brought quite a few friends here that wanted to come see Lillie play because this is really her first series to get to play in Oklahoma, other than the world series last year. There've been a lot of people who have wanted to see Lillie play who haven’t gotten a chance to. We played all over the country, but not in Oklahoma.”
Regardless of the math, there is no denying Lillie Walker’s impact on the weekend.
In front of that record-setting crowd, Lillie Walker threw two complete games — including an 8.2-inning marathon in Sunday’s extra-inning finale — and allowed just one earned run the entire series.
Although the Bears dropped the series 2-1, Lillie Walker left an undeniable impression both on the field and in the stands, for the weekend served as a homecoming that brought out not just family, but history as well.
“It’s just a lot of fun,” Joe Walker said. “A lot of family from out-of-state and in-state came, and it was a good time.
"I’m really proud of her — I think she did great.”
Continue reading...
