<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Aptos;
panose-1:2 11 0 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#467886;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:11.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:638922550;
mso-list-template-ids:-583365934;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7 ;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7 ;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7 ;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7 ;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7 ;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7 ;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7 ;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7 ;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7 ;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style>
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:right">
<a name="_Hlk490052374"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – </span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">May 9, 2024</span></b><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Baylor Softball Defeats UCF in Quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship, 3-2<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Bears win first Big 12 Championship game since 2018<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">For more information contact: </span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">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">katy_gilmore@baylor.edu</span></a><u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1"> </span></u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><span style="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"> </span></i><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. –</span></b><span style="color:black">
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Baylor Softball took down UCF, 3-2, Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at OGE Field at Devon Park.<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"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">The Bears (32-19) defeated the Knights for the fourth time this season to win their first Big 12 Championship game since 2018 and advance to the semifinals on Friday night.
<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">THE RUNDOWN<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Aliyah Binford started hot in the circle for the Bears retiring the Knights in order through the first two innings while picking up four strikeouts.
<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"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Getting it done on both sides of the plate, Binford helped her own cause in the bottom of the second with a solo shot over the wall in right field, her first long ball of the season,
to put the Bears up 1-0. <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"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Sydney Collazos followed Binford’s homer with a double to left-center field, but no one was able to bring her home as the Bears carried the 1-0 lead through four complete innings.
<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"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">After a double play ended the top of the fifth, Collazos got things going again for the Bears in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff single. After advancing to third on
a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, Taylor Stain hit an infield single to bring Collazos home from third and make it a 2-0 ballgame.
<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"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">With one runner on for UCF in the top of the sixth, a two-run bomb from S Halajian knotted the game at 2-2 to put the pressure back on the Bears.
<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"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Baylor responded in the bottom half of the sixth after Hott drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a groundout and passed ball to put a runner in scoring position with one
out. Shaylon Govan capitalized on the opportunity with a single up the middle that gave Baylor the 3-2 lead.
<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"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Down to the last three outs in the top of the seventh, Binford and the Baylor defense retired two before closing the door on the Knights with a strikeout looking to end the game.
<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;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">HIGHLIGHTS</span></b><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="color:#212121;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">The Bears picked up their first Big 12 Championship win since 2018</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:#212121;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Aliyah Binford pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts and only one walk</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:#212121;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Binford went 1-for-2 in the circle with her first home run of the season</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:#212121;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Shaylon Govan went 2-for-3 at the plate with the game winning RBI</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:#212121;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Sydney Collazos went 2-for-2 with a double</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:#212121;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Emily Hott drew the only walk for the Bears</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:#212121;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Taylor Strain hit an infield single to add and RBI to her total</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:#212121;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">BU totaled six hits</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:#212121;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Baylor has now defeated UCF four times this season</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color:#212121;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">The Bears have now won 10 of their last 11 contests and are on a seven-game win streak</span><o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white"> </span><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">QUOTABLE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Head Coach Glenn Moore on the tournament win …<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">“</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Yeah, well, that's disappointing, but when it’s single elimination
that can happen, obviously. That was a big challenge for these girls to overcome that. Had the COVID year in there, of course, so I don’t want to make it sound worse than it was, but these girls were determined to change course. And it wasn't easy. We knew
it wouldn't be because we scored four runs against this team in three games. So, Willis is really good. And as Coach Hoot said, I'm glad we don't have to see her anymore. So, I’m very proud of what they did and I'm glad we turned things around up here at the
Big 12 tournament.</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">Aliyah Binford on being able to finish the game strong …<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">“Yeah, it's great. We're constantly talking about finishing as a team, going all out no matter what, no matter where we're at. We see the score’s 0-0 constantly (through our lens).
So, just being able to finish it all the way through is great for us.</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">Shaylon Govan on rebounding through rough patches …<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">“Yeah, I feel like one — that's a testament to the girls that we have on the team, knowing that we're not going to give up and a testament to Coach Moore. And
lastly, that is a test to God, especially if you see us walking around with these ‘And One’ shirts on, that's our motto this year. And it's like, ‘If God is for us, who's against us?’ And I feel like that's something that we've taken in, and (we’ve) used that
as confidence and help us stay bold in our faith and just put it all on the field and play for one another and this team and this 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"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">UP NEXT</span></b><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">The Bears will face No. 1 seed Texas in the semifinal round of the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m.
CT. </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121"> </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white"> </span><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">-BaylorBears.com-</span><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">-- <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<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@01DAA26E.8CEAEEC0" 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>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>