Hall of Fame
To come up with the most astounding statistic authored by Lori Bayless during her four-year career would be quite difficult. Impossible, in fact, because there wasn't just one. Sure, her 69 stolen bases in 71 attempts, including a perfect 52-for-52 reading over her final three seasons, ranks right up at the top, but what about her senior-year numbers in mass, which led to her claiming a spot on the NAIA All-America First Team? That year, she compiled the fifth-best batting average in school history (.432), tallied the third-most stolen bases of all-time (24-for-24) and produced 14 doubles, which ranks fourth in the Saint annals. Or how about her six triples in 1989, the fourth-most for one campaign? The career numbers? Bayless still sits second all-time with both her 69 thefts and 16 triples, while holding down the No. 3 slot in runs scored (126) and the fourth spot in two-baggers with 28. A career .330 batting average and .971 fielding percentage as a first baseman/outfielder are nothing to take lightly, either. And, Bayless was just as solid off the field as she was on it turning in a 3.48 grade point average upon her graduation in 1991 as an Elementary Education major. In all, Bayless aided St. Francis in capturing 134 of a possible 206 games (a .650 winning percentage), as well as three NAIA District 20 championships and a ninth-place finish at the NAIA World Series in 1988. Personally, she was twice selected to both the all-district and all-Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) teams, while also staking her claim to the District 20 MVP award in 1991. That, along with her all-america selection, gained her an exclusive invitation to try out for the United States Pan-Am Team. Bayless also holds a master's degree in Special Education.
