No. 19 Baylor Softball Falls to No. 2 Tennessee in Opening-Day Doubleheader

Sat Feb 10 00:49:00 CST 2024

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Feb. 9, 2024
No. 19 Baylor Softball Falls to No. 2 Tennessee in Opening-Day Doubleheader
Bears look to bounce back in Saturday series finale
For more information contact: Katy Gilmore, 254-252-2182, katy_gilmore at baylor.edu<mailto:katy_gilmore at baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – No. 19 Baylor Softball dropped both ends of an opening-day doubleheader against No. 2 Tennessee Friday night at Getterman Stadium, losing a 3-2 heartbreaker in game one and then falling 9-1 in the nightcap.

THE RUNDOWN
The Bears came out strong in game one when starting pitcher RyLee Crandall struck out three in the first inning. Emily Hott and Shaylon Govan came out swinging in the bottom half of the inning, recording back-to-back singles and Govan advancing to third on a throwing error, but no Bears would come around to score.

After another 1-2-3 outing for Crandall in the second, Ana Watson singled and Amber Toven reached on a fielder’s choice but that would be it for the Bears.

A single Lady Vol reached base in the top half of the third on a BU error, but Baylor returned the favor with McKenzie Wilson reaching base in the bottom half of the inning on an error as well. With Wilson on, Hott barreled up a ball and doubled to left center, bringing home Wilson from first.

The Bears again retired Tennessee in order in the top of the fourth and only walked one in the top of the fifth before a fielder choice and double play ended the threat.

Hott, who was on fire on opening day, homered in the bottom of the fifth to double the Bears’ lead and give them the 2-0 advantage.

Crandall took a no-hitter into the sixth, but the Lady Vols had back-to-back two-out hits to plate a run and cut Baylor’s lead in half.

Amber Toven singled in the bottom of the sixth, but it wouldn’t be enough as Tennessee launched a two-run home run over the fence in centerfield in the top of the seventh to take the 3-2 lead.

The Bears put two runners on via walks in the bottom half of the seventh but couldn’t bring them home as Tennessee took game one.

BU had a rocky start in game two as a wild pitch and an error brought home the Lady Vols’ first run of the game.

The Bears were able to answer in the bottom half of the first, after Hott walked and Aliyah Binford was hit by a pitch to put two on for Sydney Collazos. The senior catcher roped a line drive into center field, bringing home Hott and knotting the game at 1-1.

Baylor held its own and created chances in the second and third innings, but Tennessee took the 3-1 lead in the third on back-to-back homers.

Binford, Taylor Strain and Govan strung together singles in each of the next three innings, but the Lady Vols took the 4-1 lead into the top of the sixth, when they were able to plate five and take the commanding 9-1 lead.

Strain singled in the bottom of the sixth, but the Bears ultimately fell in game two.

HIGHLIGHTS

  *   Emily Hott went 3-for-6 on the day with a double and a home run, scoring two runs
  *   Taylor strain went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate in game two
  *   Shaylon Govan notched two hits
  *   Abi Flores made her first appearance after her redshirt freshman season and singled in her first at-bat
  *   Leah Cran and Lexie Warncke also made their first-career appearances
  *   RyLee Crandall struck out four in 5.2 innings pitched
  *   Aliyah Binford made her first appearance after a season-ending knee injury last season
  *   Seven different Bears recorded a hit
  *   BU out-hit Tennessee in both games
QUOTABLE
Head coach Glenn Moore on the game: "We did. It was tough. Make a mistake at shortstop and give them open the door for them, but that's the difference between a No. 2 team in the country and a No. 22 team, and I told the girls that. It's not a lot of difference in talent, I don't think, it's just a team that has been there. If you don't give them that foot in the door, then it doesn't matter. But we did, and they capitalized on it, so you tip your hat to them. It didn't change the way we played overall, I thought we had an outstanding game. RyLee was amazing, she had a no-hitter into the sixth. That's very promising.”
Emily Hott on her performance at the plate: “You know, I honestly had like a God moment in the batter’s box before. I was just like, ‘I’ve seen the direction here. And just on my heart, God is my shepherd.’ And I think it just goes to, we’ve been hitting after every single practice, it’s me, Shay, Syd and Amber, our little hitting group. And it’s just putting in that work gives you the confidence to go up against anybody.”

UP NEXT
The Bears will play No. 2 Tennessee in the series finale Saturday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. at Getterman Stadium.
-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

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

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