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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">APRIL
 2, 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 Readies for Midweek Contest at No. 23 Texas State</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 and Bobcats facing off for the 63<sup>rd</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>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.4pt"><b><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"MinionPro-Regular",serif;color:black;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. 21 BAYLOR</span></b><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif"> (19-12, 3-9 Big 12)
<b>at</b><b> No. 23 TEXAS STATE </b>(29-8, 7-2 Sun Belt)<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">Tuesday, April 3 • at Texas State • San Marcos, Texas • Bobcat Softball Stadium • Watch: ESPN+ • Radio: 104.9 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 heads south to face in-state foe Texas State Wednesday, April 3, in San Marcos,
 Texas for a midweek matchup.<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 (19-12, 3-9 Big 12) hold the all-time record over the Bobcats 43-19, while also holding
 the record of games played in San Marcos, 15-8. <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">• These two teams last faced off during the 2023 season when BU beat TXST 3-2 in eight innings
 on the road before taking down the Bobcats, 3-0 in six innings 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">• BU picked up its first conference-series win of the season last week, taking down Iowa State
 in two of the three games on the weekend. <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 are currently on a 15-game nonconference win streak going into the nonconference matchup
 against Texas State.<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">• Eleven of Baylor’s losses this season have come against teams ranked or receiving votes in polls
 at some point in the 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 two of the national polls: No. 21 in ESPN/USA Softball and No. 25 in NCA/USA
 Today.<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. With Texas State ranked at No. 23 in the ESPN poll, this will mark the eighth ranked team the Bears will face.
<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. 14 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">•
<b>RyLee Crandall</b> is leading the way in the circle this season with a 9-5 record, with 19 appearances and a 2.24 ERA. She has 74 total strikeouts and leads the conference only stats with 39 conference 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>Crandall</b> has also 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 88 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 .455 average, 35 hits, five doubles and three home runs. Her batting average ties her for 2nd in the Big 12 and 16th nationally, while her on base percentage is ranks 3rd nationally. With her .592 on base percentage,
<b>Govan</b> is ranked 19th in the country in walks per game and has been walked 25 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 16 total double plays already this season. The Bears are ranked 18th
 nationally in double plays turned per game (.52) with 16 turned through 31 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 35, followed by<b> Emily Hott </b>with 34. 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 three 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>
<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" 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"><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@01DA8514.F542B240" 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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