No. 22 Baylor Softball Prepares for Road Contests at McNeese, Louisiana

Wed Feb 14 16:06:48 CST 2024

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Feb. 14, 2024
No. 22 Baylor Softball Prepares for Road Contests at McNeese, Louisiana
Bears play at McNeese before traveling to Lafayette for a three-game series
For more information contact: Katy Gilmore, 254-252-2182, katy_gilmore at baylor.edu<mailto:katy_gilmore at baylor.edu>

No. 22 BAYLOR (0-2) at RV MCNEESE (4-1) at No. 23 LOUISIANA (4-1)

Thursday, Feb. 15 • at McNeese • Lake Charles, La.| Cowgirl Diamond • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: ESPN+

Friday, Feb. 16 • at Louisiana • Lafayette, La. | Lamson Park • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: ESPN+

Saturday, Feb. 17 • at Louisiana • Lafayette, La. | Lamson Park • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: ESPN+

Sunday, Feb. 18 • at Louisiana • Lafayette, La. | Lamson Park • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: ESPN+

Story lines

• Baylor Softball is heading on the road for the first time this season, facing McNeese in Lake Charles, La., on Thursday, Feb. 15, before continuing to Lafayette for a three-game series against Louisiana, Feb. 16-18.

• The Bears opened their season against No. 2 Tennessee, losing a 3-2 heartbreaker in game one and then falling 9-1 in game two. The series finale was canceled due to weather.

• BU is 28-8 all-time against McNeese, with holding the 6-2 overall record while playing in Lake Charles. Louisiana holds the 17-13 overall record over the Bears and have the 9-4 lead while playing in Lafayette.

• This is the Bears first trip back to Louisiana since the 2022 season and the first trip back to Lake Charles since 2021.

• The team comes back to the diamond with a veteran squad that consists of seven seniors and 17 upperclassmen.

• After ending the 2023 campaign back in the NCAA postseason, the Bears are looking to build on last year’s 40-win season while returning all but one senior, Josie Bower, from the roster.

• Baylor added three freshmen to the squad with pitcher Lexie Warncke and infielders, Paige King and Leah Cran.

• Baylor is ranked in all four polls: No. 16 (Softball America), No. 17 (D1Softball), No. 22 (ESPN/USA Softball) and No. 24 (USA Today/NFCA).

• The Bears will face seven opponents in the month of February who were either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason ESPN poll for a total of 11 games. Those teams include: No. 2 Tennessee, No. 8 UCLA, No. 13 Oregon, No. 21 Louisiana, RV Missouri, RV McNeese and RV Notre Dame.

• The last time the Bears and Cowgirls faced off, BU took the three-game series over McNeese, 2-1, during the 2022 season.

• Baylor last faced the Ragin’ Cajuns on April 11, 2023, when the Bears won 2-1 in Waco.

• Baylor fell 0-2 against No. 2 Tennessee during opening weekend as the Bears battled in game one with pitcher RyLee Crandall taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but the Lady Vols had back-to-back two-out hits to plate a run and cut Baylor’s 2-0 lead in half.

• Emily Hott went 3-for-6 in the box during opening weekend, with a double and the Bears’ first home run of the season. Her 1.167 slugging percentage led the Bears, as she also scored two runs and had two RBIs.

• Leading the Bears last season, Shaylon Govan returns for BU after being named the 11th All-American in Baylor history last season. The junior hit .369 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs. She set single-season Baylor records in walks (47) and sacrifice flies (7).

• Govan was named to the preseason All-Big 12 team as a unanimous decision.

• Senior pitcher Dariana Orme was named to the USA Softball Top 50 Player of the Year Watch List for the season. She led the Bears in the circle last season with 1.92 ERA and 126 strikeouts.

• The Bears middle infield turned 31 double plays during the 2023 season, which set a new single-season team record. The 2024 squad wanted to continue the trend and turned three double plays during opening weekend.

• Five different pitchers found time in the circle against Tennessee, with Crandall pitching a team high 5.2 innings. In Aliyah Binford’s first appearance in the circle post injury, she struck out three and only allowed one hit.

• Seven different Bears recording a hit during the first weekend of the season, with Taylor Strain, Hott and Govan each recording multiple hits.

• Head coach Glenn Moore hit his 1,000th career win last season, when the Bears took down UT Arlington on March 23, 2023. He is looking for his 900th win at Baylor this season.

-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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