Baylor Softball Sets Records in Dominate Win Over North Alabama, 18-8

[Gilmore, Katy]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 24, 2022


Baylor Softball Sets Records in Dominate Win Over North Alabama, 18-8
Bears tie a single-game home run record with five
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 tied a single-game home run record as the Bears took down North Alabama, 18-8, Tuesday afternoon at the National Invitational Softball Championship.

After a 10-2, run-rule win over UC San Diego on Sunday, the Bears’ offense was on fire again tonight after falling behind 2-0 in the first inning. After a leadoff infield single from Kaci West, in the second, Ana Watson hit her second home run in as many games to knot the game at two apiece.

Taylor Strain and West each singled in the top of the third before Josie Bower ripped one down the left field line to bring in a run. The game was then suspended for 30 minutes due to a rain delay, but that didn’t stop the Bears’ offense. Watson walked before back-to-back singles from Sydney Collazos, and then Zadie LaValley plated two more for the Bears to take the 6-2 lead.

Emily Hott got in on the home-run action in the fourth as she hit the Bears’ second long ball of the day, a solo shot over the wall in right field.

Bower recorded her third hit of the day to lead off the fifth before Watson came up big again with a two-RBI opposite-field home run over the 14-foot wall in left field.

Continuing on the streak of runs, Taylor Strain delivered a two-out, two-run single up the middle, giving the Bears an 11-2 lead.

Trying to seal the run-rule, the Bears were down to their last out in the fifth inning, when the Lions hit a two-run shot over the wall in left-center to pull back within 11-4.

North Alabama got within 11-6 in the sixth inning, but the Bears pounded back with seven runs in the top of the seventh as McKenzie Wilson hit a two-RBI home run followed by doubles from Strain and West. Watson picked up the Bears’ eighth extra-base hit of the game as she doubled down the right field line, before Katie Ellington came in as a pinch-hitter and launched her first-career home run, the Bears’ fifth of the game.

Aliyah Binford started in the circle for the Bears, striking out five in her 6.0 innings of work. Binford was relieved by Dariana Orme, who pitched the sixth inning in her first outing since May 8th.

The Bears will now advance to the championship bracket, where they will play the winner of the Virginia-Kansas game at 2:30 p.m. CT Wednesday. The championship bracket is now single elimination, with the championship game on Thursday May 26th at 12 p.m. CT.

HIGHLIGHTS

  *   Emily Hott hit her second home run of the season
  *   Ana Watson homered twice in the game for the first time in her career. She now has three home runs in the past two games
  *   All but one batter recorded a hit
  *   Josie Bower was 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI
  *   This is the Bears’ seventh game this season with 10 or more runs
  *   The Bears’ five home runs ties a team record, the last time against Houston in 2020
  *   The Bears’ 18 runs are a new season-high
  *   BU had a season-high 20 hits
  *   Five Bears recorded three hits apiece
  *   Dariana Orme pitched in her first game since May 8th
TOP QUOTES
Glenn Moore on the game…
“It’s great to see this team playing well and loving this game. It was great to hit five home runs. Ana Watson is seeing beach balls right now. It was also great to get Orme back in the circle for an inning. We will need her to win this.”

- BaylorBears.com -

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

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