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<a name="_Hlk490052374"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – </span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">March
9, 2024</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">No. 14 Baylor Softball Takes Down No. 7 Oklahoma State, 2-0<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Bears even the series against the Cowgirls<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">For more information contact: </span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Katy Gilmore,
254-252-2182, </span><a href="mailto:katy_gilmore@baylor.edu" title="mailto:katy_gilmore@baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none">katy_gilmore@baylor.edu</span></a><u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none"> </span></u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">WACO, Texas –</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white"> No. 14 Baylor
Softball evened the series against No. 7 Oklahoma State, defeating the Cowgirls, 2-0, Saturday afternoon at Getterman Stadium.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">The Bears have taken down Oklahoma State for the first time since 2019, when BU defeated OSU in Waco, 2-1.
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">THE RUNDOWN</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><br>
RyLee Crandall dominated in the circle tonight, only allowing one hit and otherwise pitching a perfect game. The sophomore pitcher effectively retired the Cowgirls in order in six of their seven innings, only allowing a single up the middle in the top of the
fifth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">The Bears had their first baserunner of the day in the bottom of the first when Shaylon Govan was walked for the 14<sup>th</sup> time this season, but the Bears
wouldn’t have anyone come around to score. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Baylor threatened again in the second, when Ana Watson led off the inning getting hit by a pitch, followed by Abi Flores being issued a four-pitch walk, but after
moving into scoring position on a groundout, the Cowgirls worked out of the threat.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Sydney Collazos was walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth, but Baylor wouldn’t find its first hit of the day until Presleigh Pilon singled up the middle
in the bottom of the fifth and stole second to add a little spark to the Baylor offense.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">BU started off strong in the bottom of the fifth when Govan drew a leadoff walk and pinch-runner Caroline Rowatt moved to third on a bad-hop single to shortstop
off the bat of Watson. With runners on the corners, Watson stole second before Flores reached on a fielder’s choice which allowed the runner to slide into home safely. With one run across and a runner on third, a sacrifice fly from Kaci West plated the Bears’
second run and gave BU the 2-0 advantage. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Doing what they did all game, the Baylor defense was on-lock in the bottom of the seventh, forcing three straight groundouts to secure the series-tying victory.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><br>
<b>HIGHLIGHTS<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="color:black;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">RyLee Crandall one-hit the Cowgirls, only striking out two in her nearly perfect game<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:black;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Ana Watson and Presleigh Pilon recorded the Bears’ only two hits<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:black;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Caroline Rowatt and Watson each recorded a run<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:black;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">The Bears drew four walks on the day<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:black;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">This is the Bears first win over Oklahoma State since March 23, 2019, when the Bears won 2-1 in Waco<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:black;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Watson and Pilon each recorded a stolen base<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:black;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">The Bears and Cowgirls evened the series at 1-1<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">QUOTABLE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Ana
</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Watson on winning today…
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">“It feels amazing. It feels like all our hard work is starting to show. Every moment that we have we’re taking advantage of it. So, we have to keep pushing forward.</span>”<span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">RyLee Crandall on the team support …<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">“Our whole staff really supports each other. When Aliyah (Binford) goes in, we’re all behind her. When I go in, they’re all behind me. It makes it so much easier when you have a
defense. We just put in the work and God’s got it. He blesses us with the talent to do it.</span>”<span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Head Coach Glenn Moore on the game …<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">“Took advantage of the opportunities. And I think (in the) last few years we've not done a great job of timely hitting or executing. I was disappointed in our bunting game, that
was one of our goals at the beginning of the year, was (to) be a good bunting team and they've worked extra on it, but not enough. We got to get back in there and make sure that's an important part of what we're doing, and we lock into it. It's hard to create
a game-like atmosphere in practice, but we have to do it because (we had) three opportunities to move runners and score earlier and we failed on all three of those. So bunting is probably the biggest negative, but the rest of the game I was pretty happy with.”</span><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">UP NEXT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">The Bears will close out the series against No. 7 Oklahoma State on Sunday, March 10, at 1 p.m. CT at Getterman Stadium.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">-BaylorBears.com-</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">-- <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">__________________________________</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#154734;mso-ligatures:none">Katy Gilmore</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> | Associate Director
of Athletic Communications</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">O: 254-710-2743 | C: 254-252-2182</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://baylorbears.com/" title="http://baylorbears.com/"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="160" height="44" style="width:1.6666in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DA724B.C96DC960" alt="cidimage002.png@01D79F3C.9D2300D0"></span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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