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<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 18, 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 Run Rules No. 13 Seed Louisiana, 8-0<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Binford blasts first-career grand slam<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">LAFAYETTE, La. –</span></b><span style="color:black">
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Baylor Softball took down tournament host and No. 13 national seed Louisiana, 8-0, Saturday afternoon at Lamson Park in run-rule fashion.
<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 advance to Sunday’s 1 p.m. regional final against the winner of a late game Saturday 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">Baylor got the bats going early as Shaylon Govan hit a two-out double in the first to get a runner on, but BU wasn’t able to bring any runs home in the top half of the inning.
<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 leadoff single from the Ragin’ Cajuns, catcher Sydney Collazos erased the threat when the runner tried to steal second and Collazos threw her out. RyLee Crandall and the
Baylor defense retired the next two batters to end the inning. <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 came to life in the second inning, putting up a seven-spot to take the commanding lead early. Ana Watson led off the inning with a double down the left-field line before
Sydney Collazos reached after a sacrifice bunt error that found her safe at first and scored Watson. Zadie LaValley took a page from Collazos’ book and laid down another sacrifice bunt that found both runners safe at first and second.
<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 two on and no one out, Kaci West singled through the right side to put Baylor up 2-0 in the second. Taylor Strain then laid down a bunt single and Emily Hott was hit by a pitch
to load the bases. After a Louisiana pitching change, Presleigh Pilon hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field that put the Bears up 3-0.
<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">Baylor’s Govan was intentionally walked to re-load the bases in the second before Aliyah Binford hit her first-career grand slam to break the game open and give Baylor the 7-0 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">BU only allowed one runner for the Ragin’ Cajuns through the next two innings, until they threatened in the fourth getting runners on first and second, but the Bears were able to
squelch the threat. <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 scored its eighth run of the game off a solo shot from Govan, her 10<sup>th</sup> long ball of the season.<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">Crandall sat the Bears down in order to secure the run-rule in the fifth inning, closing the door and striking out the last batter of 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:black;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">The Bears totaled six hits on the day<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;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Shaylon Govan went 2-for-2 with a home run<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;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Aliyah Binford hit her first-career grand slam
<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;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Govan and Ana Watson each recorded doubles<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;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">RyLee Cradnall pitched a complete-game two-hit shutout, striking out three<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;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Crandall is now 15-8 on the season<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;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">Baylor secures a trip to the regional finale on Sunday<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;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">The Bears are now 50-34 all-time in the NCAA postseason<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;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">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 game …<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">It's not often that you can come to a press conference after playing
ULL and feel as good about the way your team played and certainly have tons of respect for that team and it makes what we did today even more impressive. Really proud of the way the girls executed offensively today. Certainly, RyLee was on fire in the circle.
(I've) been waiting for that RyLee to show up. We've seen her earlier, and then she had a little bit of a slump as it happens sometimes, but at the right time she came back and was on fire against a great lineup. So very happy with that. I guess probably most
impressed with the short game and how we executed our short game today. We haven't had to do that a whole lot this year, and it paid off.</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 the grand slam pitch …<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">“I know her timing. She has a great changeup and great mix of speed. So, her timing was a little off, and for Coach Moore to give me the slash, it just allowed me to be able to
focus and see the timing more and to be on time on with the pitch.</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 pitching after a 7-0 lead …<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">“As a pitcher, it's great to see, especially when it's as hot as it is. It's like yeah, let's get out of here. But they did great. And you could see that everyone's playing their
role, from the bunts in the beginning to the intentional walk Shay took that it's not selfish at all. She knows that the person behind is going to get it done, and Aliyah did just that. And so, I think today was definitely a team win, one by one, each step,
pitch by pitch, and we're going to continue to do that.</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">Sydney Collazos on talking to RyLee before the game …<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">“Oh yeah, whatever I can do to help her out. On top of that, when I talk to her pregame, it’s got nothing to do with, ‘What pitch do you want to throw, XYZ?’ It’s like, ‘Hey, whatever
is weighing on your chest, I’m going to take it from you, because yeah, I’m going to make you look good behind the plate. But I’m also going to make you feel good as a person, as a pitcher. Whatever you’ve got to do to get you to play your best.’ I very much
give myself to her. And she had a phenomenal outing.</span>”<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;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"><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 the winner of game 5 on Sunday, May 19, at 1 p.m. CT in the regional finale.
</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>
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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@01DAA95B.99938170" 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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