Baylor Softball Run Rules UC San Diego, 10-2

[Gilmore, Katy]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 22, 2022


Baylor Softball Run Rules UC San Diego, 10-2
Bears take game one of the NISC tournament
For more information contact: Katy Gilmore, 254-252-2182, katy_gilmore at baylor.edu<mailto:katy_gilmore at baylor.edu>

THE RUNDOWN
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Baylor softball secured its first win in the National Invitational Softball Championship Sunday afternoon, defeating UC San Diego 10-2, in run-rule fashion at TC Colorado Field.

The Bears struck first in the matchup as Josie Bower blasted a solo home run over the wall in centerfield in the bottom of the second inning.

Starting pitcher Aliyah Binford sat the Tritons down in order in the first four innings, not allowing a hit until the top of the fifth.

McKenzie Wilson doubled in the bottom of the third, and Emily Hott walked to put a couple of runners on, but no more runs scored.

Baylor came up big in the fourth inning when Bower was hit by a pitch, Sydney Collazos singled and Zadie LaValley walked to load the bases. Ana Watson then crushed her first home run of the season over the wall in left-center field, for the second grand slam of her career.

Trying to rally back in the fifth inning, UC San Diego plated two runs after loading the bases to chip away at Baylor’s lead.

After the Tritons loaded the bases again in the sixth inning, reliever Kaci West came in and worked out of the jam not allowing a run to score.

Collazos, Watson and Wilson all singled in the bottom of the sixth to load the bases for the second time in the game, before a walk was issued and another run scored. With a 6-2 lead, Binford plated another run with an infield single before Kaci West cleared the bases with a shot to the wall that the right fielder dropped.

With the run-rule victory in six innings, the Bears get a day off before playing the winner of the UNLV-North Alabama game at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

HIGHLIGHTS

  *   Ana Watson hit her first home run of the year, a grand slam
  *   Aliyah Binford pitched 5.1 innings, striking out seven and throwing four 1-2-3 innings. She didn’t allow a hit until the 5th inning.
  *   Josie Bower hit her third homer of the season and sixth of her career
  *   Sydney Collazos was 3-for-3 at the plate with three singles
  *   McKenzie Wilson was 3-for-4 at the plate with a double
  *   Every starter for the Bears reached base in the game
  *   Six Bears recorded hits
  *   Kaci West struck out one as a reliever, her first outing since April 12
TOP QUOTES
Glenn Moore on the game…
“It took us a while to get the rust knocked off after nine days of practice, but once Josie sparked us, we didn’t let up. We did lose focus defensively a little in the fifth, but a different look with Kaci West got some miss hits and got us out of it. Very happy with the offensive production from several.”

Ana Watson on her grand slam…
“As I have been trying to figure out my swing again this year coming back from an injury last year, to me, the home run came at a perfect time. Adding on to the first home run from Josie, I think it gave us the confidence to hit the ball hard and with intention.”

Josie Bower on winning game one…
“Winning game one sets us up really well for this week since we only need one more win to make it to the championship bracket. I think my home run helped get the team excited and reminded us that we came here to win.”

- BaylorBears.com -

--
__________________________________

Katy Gilmore | Associate Director of Athletic Communications
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
O: 254-710-2743 | C: 254-252-2182

[cidimage002.png at 01D79F3C.9D2300D0]<http://baylorbears.com/>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/localmedia/attachments/20220523/008fca40/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 11692 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/localmedia/attachments/20220523/008fca40/attachment-0001.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: BU53_Box.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 33342 bytes
Desc: BU53_Box.pdf
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/localmedia/attachments/20220523/008fca40/attachment-0001.pdf>