Baylor SB Opens Big 12 Play with 5-2 Win at Texas Tech

[Pirtle, Krista]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 26, 2021

SB Opens Big 12 Play with 5-2 Win at Texas Tech
Gia Rodoni picks up career strikeout No. 600
Media link: http://baylorbea.rs/BaylorSoftball
For more information contact: Krista Pirtle, 254-447-8610, Krista_Pirtle at baylor.edu<mailto:Krista_Pirtle at baylor.edu>

THE RUNDOWN
LUBBOCK, Texas – Baylor softball defeated Texas Tech, 5-2, Friday night at Rocky Johnson Field to open Big 12 play with a win. It marked the first Big 12 opening win for BU since the Lady Bears took down Kansas, 6-1, on March 25, 2018, in Lawrence.

Texas Tech jumped out to a 1-0 edge off a leadoff solo home run. The score remained 1-0 in favor of the home team until Baylor found a groove in the top of the third.

Josie Bower got things started with a single down the right field line and then advanced to second off a wild pitch to put a runner in scoring position with one out for the Lady Bears. Lou Gilbert followed that up with a walk and then a single to right field by Maddison Kettler loaded the bases.

Goose McGlaun put BU on the board with a single up the middle to score Bower before Zadie LaValley’s double to left center field gave Baylor the lead for good as two more runs came home. A sacrifice fly by Aliyah Binford scored McGlaun from home as BU put up a four-spot in the frame.

Texas Tech threatened once more in the fifth inning as another solo home run cut Baylor’s lead in half. With a runner on first and two outs, Alyssa Avalos made a catch at the wall to end the Texas Tech scoring threat in the frame.

Baylor got a little insurance in the sixth inning as Binford singled and Emily Hott drew a walk to put two runners on with two outs for the Bears. Bower delivered a big single through the left side to score Binford.

Bower led the way for BU at the plate as she went 2-for-3 with an RBI, her ninth multi-hit game of her career.

Gia Rodoni finished the game with six strikeouts and no walks as she gave up two runs off four hits through 4.2 innings of work. In the third inning, the sixth-year senior struck out the side. Her third K of the inning gave her 600 strikeouts for her career.

Binford came on in relief and held the Red Raiders scoreless off one hit through 2.1 innings.

HIGHLIGHTS

  *   Zadie LaValley hit her fourth double of the season in the third inning to give Baylor a two-run lead.
  *   LaValley now has a hit in six-straight games for BU. She moved to the clean-up spot two games ago (March 21 vs. Houston). LaValley also now has five multi-RBI games.
  *   Maddison Kettler has now reached base in 11-straight games.
  *   The win marked Baylor’s first Big 12 dub since taking down Kansas in Lawrence on March 31, 2019.
  *   Baylor is now 12-12 in Big 12 openers.
  *   Gia Rodoni moved to 6-4 on the season in the circle.

STAT OF THE DAY
601 – Career strikeouts for Gia Rodoni. In her last three outings, Rodoni has racked up 25 Ks.

TOP QUOTES
Baylor head coach Glenn Moore on the game…
“We played a complete game tonight. We kept our focus on the game plan after falling behind. We made disciplined adjustments against two great pitchers. It was a good start to a very tough but exciting Big 12 series.
As for pitching, Gia (Rodoni) was more of the same and very difficult to hit. It was great to see her reach a milestone with what she’s been through. Aliyah (Binford) did a great job of closing the door once more.”

UP NEXT
The Lady Bears are back for Game 2 against Texas Tech with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. on Saturday at Rocky Johnson Field in Lubbock.


www.BaylorBears.com


Krista Pirtle | Associate Director of Athletics Communications
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
O: 254-710-3065 | C: 254-447-8610

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