No. 14 Baylor Softball Prepares for Conference Opener Against No. 7 Oklahoma State

[Gilmore, Katy]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 7, 2024
No. 14 Baylor Softball Prepares for Conference Opener Against No. 7 Oklahoma State
Bears facing Cowgirls for 80th time in program history
For more information contact: Katy Gilmore, 254-252-2182, katy_gilmore at baylor.edu<mailto:katy_gilmore at baylor.edu>


No. 14 BAYLOR (13-3) vs No. 7 Oklahoma State

Friday, March 8 • vs Oklahoma State • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+

Saturday, March 8 • vs Oklahoma State • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+

Sunday, March 8 • vs Oklahoma State • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+



Story lines

• Baylor Softball begins Big 12 Conference play this week, as they host No. 7 Oklahoma State March 8-10 at Getterman Stadium.

• The Bears are in the midst of a 12-game win streak, including a 3-0 sweep of Morgan State last weekend at home and two midweek wins against Sam Houston and Penn State.

• Oklahoma State holds the all-time record over the Bears 48-31, but BU hold the record in Waco, 16-13.

• Baylor is now 13-3 on the season with all three of the Bears’ losses this season have come against ranked opponents.

• 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 national polls: No. 13 (Softball America), No. 10 (D1Softball), No. 14 (ESPN/USA Softball) and No. 19 (USA Today/NFCA).

• The Bears have already faced five ranked teams this season: No. 2 Tennessee, No. 23 Louisiana, No. 25 Oregon, No. 19 UCLA and No. 13 Missouri. The Cowgirls will account for the sixth ranked team of the season.

• The Bears are excelling in the circle this season, with a 2.11 ERA as a team. RyLee Crandall leads the way with a 6-0 record and a 1.32 ERA.

• Aliyah Binford has a team-leading 52 strikeouts and holds a 5-2 record. She is currently ranked No. 22 in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings.

• Sydney Collazos has been a threat behind the plate, throwing out seven runners so far this season and picking off a batter at first base. She is tied for seventh in the country in caught stealing by records.

• Shaylon Govan leads the Bears with a .463 average, 19 hits, three doubles and a home run. With her .592 on base percentage, Govan is ranked 18th in the country in walks per game and has been walked 13 times so far this season.

• Emily Hott has been on fire in the batter’s box, with 16 hits already this season and a .587 slugging percentage. She has three doubles, two home runs and a triple on the season.

• Kaci West picked up three saves in the circle against Morgan State. She pitched a total of 4.2 innings over the three games, striking out six and not allowing a hit or run. She now leads the Big 12 with saves on the season.

• 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 2024 squad has turned 13 total double plays already this season. The Bears are ranked No. 1 nationally in double plays turned per game (.81) with 13 turned through 16 games.

• Fifteen different Bears have recorded a hit so far this season, with Govan leading the way with 19, followed by Taylor Strain and Emily Hott with 16.
• 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 and is nine wins away from that milestone.

-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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