No. 19 Baylor Softball Readies for Series at No. 1 Oklahoma

Thu Mar 21 16:56:53 CDT 2024

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 21, 2024
No. 19 Baylor Softball Readies for Series at No. 1 Oklahoma
Bears facing Sooners Friday night at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City
For more information contact: Katy Gilmore, 254-252-2182, katy_gilmore at baylor.edu<mailto:katy_gilmore at baylor.edu>

No. 19 BAYLOR (17-8, 1-5 Big 12) at No. 1 OKLAHOMA (27-1, 6-0 Big 12)

Friday, March 22 • vs Oklahoma • Oklahoma City, Okla. • USA Hall of Fame Stadium • Watch: ESPN+ • Radio: 101.3 FM

Saturday, March 23 • vs Oklahoma • Norman, Okla. • Love’s Field • Watch: ESPN+ • Radio: 101.3 FM

Sunday, March 23 • vs Oklahoma • Norman, Okla. • Love’s Field • Watch: ESPN+ • Radio: 101.3 FM

Story lines

• Baylor Softball is continuing Big 12 play this weekend as they will take on No. 1 Oklahoma on the road March 22-24. The Bears will play the Sooners Friday, March 22, at Hall of Stadium in Oklahoma City before facing OU in Norman at Love’s Field Saturday and Sunday.

• The Bears (17-8, 1-5 Big 12) are behind in the all-time record against Oklahoma 73-14 but handed the reigning National Champions their only loss of the 2023 campaign in a nonconference matchup.

• BU picked up a midweek win over Houston Christian this week, defeating the Huskies 14-4 in a five-inning run-rule.

• Baylor is now 17-8 on the season after falling to Kansas in three-straight games last weekend. Before the series against Kansas, BU’s five losses on the season all came against ranked teams.

• 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. 22 (Softball America), No. 19 (D1Softball), No. 19 (ESPN/USA Softball) and No. 22 (USA Today/NFCA).

• The Bears have already faced six ranked teams this season: No. 2 Tennessee, No. 23 Louisiana, No. 25 Oregon, No. 19 UCLA, No. 13 Missouri and No. 7 Oklahoma State. This will mark the third-straight season the Bears have faced Oklahoma while their ranked the No. 1 team in the nation.

• The Bears are excelling in the circle this season, with a 2.08 ERA as a team. RyLee Crandall leads the way with a 7-2 record, with 14 appearances and a 1.31 ERA.

• Crandall picked up Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors for the Bears’ win over No. 7 Oklahoma State, where she pitched a one-hit complete-game shutout. The sophomore was one hit away from a perfect game, effectively retiring 21 of 22 at bats.

• Aliyah Binford has a team-leading 71 strikeouts and holds a 5-5 record. She is currently ranked No. 31 in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings and is first in the Big 12 in strikeouts.

• Sydney Collazos has been a threat behind the plate, throwing out eight runners so far this season and picking off two batters, one at first and one at third. She is ranked 18th in the country in caught stealing by records.

• Shaylon Govan leads the Bears with a .500 average, 30 hits, four doubles and three home runs. Her batting average ties her for first in the Big 12 and ties for third nationally, while her on base percentage is ranks her first nationally. With her .639 on base percentage, Govan is ranked eighth in the country in walks per game and has been walked 23 times so far this season.

• Kaci West has three saves on the season, which is good for first in the Big 12 and ties her at 19th nationally.

• The 2024 squad has turned 15 total double plays already this season. The Bears are ranked ninth nationally in double plays turned per game (.60) with 15 turned through 25 games.

• Sixteen different Bears have recorded a hit so far this season, with Govan leading the way with 30, followed by Emily Hott with 23. There are 10 Bears with double-digit hits already on the season.
• 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 five 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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