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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
 27, 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:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">No. 21 Baylor Softball Prepares to Host Iowa State in Weekend Series</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">Bears facing Cyclones for 67<sup>th</sup> time in program history<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;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="BasicParagraph" style="border:none;padding:0in"><b><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">No. 19 BAYLOR</span></b><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif"> (17-11, 1-8 Big 12)
<b>vs</b><b> IOWA STATE </b>(11-16, 2-4 Big 12)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">Thursday, March 28 • vs Iowa State • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+ • Radio: 101.3 FM
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">Friday, March 29 • vs Iowa State • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+ • Radio: 101.3 FM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">Saturday, March 30 • vs Iowa State • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+ • Radio: 101.3 FM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;text-transform:uppercase"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;text-transform:uppercase">Story lines</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Baylor Softball returns home to face Iowa State for a three-game conference series Thursday to
 Saturday, March 28-30 at Getterman Stadium. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• The Bears (17-11, 1-8 Big 12) hold the all-time record over the Cyclones 43-23. BU also holds
 the 21-10 record in games played in Waco. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• BU picked up a midweek win over Houston Christian this week, defeating the Huskies 14-4 in a
 five-inning run-rule, before falling against No. 1 Oklahoma in a weekend series in Norman.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• All 11 of Baylor’s losses this season have come against teams ranked or receiving votes in polls
 so far this season.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• The team comes back to the diamond with a veteran squad that consists of seven seniors and 17
 upperclassmen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• 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.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Baylor added three freshmen to the squad with pitcher
<b>Lexie Warncke</b> and infielders, <b>Paige King</b> and <b>Leah Cran</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Baylor is ranked in three out of the four national polls: No. 24 (D1Softball), No. 21 (ESPN/USA
 Softball) and No. 23 (USA Today/NFCA). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• The Bears have already faced seven ranked teams this season: No. 2 Tennessee, No. 23 Louisiana,
 No. 25 Oregon, No. 19 UCLA, No. 13 Missouri, No. 7 Oklahoma State and No. 1 Oklahoma.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Baylor is currently ranked No. 10 in the RPI standings.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• The Bears have a 2.86 team ERA in the circle this season with
<b>RyLee Crandall</b> leading the way with a 7-4 record, with 16 appearances and a 2.22 ERA.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">•
<b>Crandall</b> picked up the bears’ only weekly Big 12 award so far this season, as she won Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors for BU’s 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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">•
<b>Aliyah Binford</b> has a team-leading 77 strikeouts and holds a 5-6 record. She is currently ranked No.1 in the Big 12 in strikeouts.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">•
<b>Shaylon Govan</b> leads the Bears with a .464 average, 32 hits, four doubles and three home runs. Her batting average is good for 3rd in the Big 12 and 13th nationally, while her on base percentage is ranks 3rd nationally. With her .602 on base percentage,
<b>Govan</b> is ranked 12th in the country in walks per game and has been walked 24 times so far this season.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">•
<b>Kaci West</b> has three saves on the season, which is good for first in the Big 12.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• The 2024 squad has turned 15 total double plays already this season. The Bears are ranked 16th
 nationally in double plays turned per game (.54) with 15 turned through 28 games.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Sixteen different Bears have recorded a hit so far this season, with
<b>Govan</b> leading the way with 30, followed by<b> Emily Hott </b>with 23. There are 10 Bears with double-digit hits already on the season.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Head coach
<b>Glenn Moore</b> 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.</span><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></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>
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<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@01DA806E.CA3575B0" 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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