Box Score

Baylor-Nicholls Box

GULFPORT, Miss. - No. 24 Baylor softball (11-3) continued the weekend's theme of lights-out pitching, getting a combined shutout from Kendall Potts (5-0), with Heather Stearns closing out the game for her second save of the season.

After scoring 33 runs over the previous five games leading into Sunday's game, it took just one run to secure the Lady Bears' victory over Nicholls State, downing the Colonels, 1-0, on Sunday morning at the Gulfport Sportsplex.

Potts took BU through 6.1 innings of work, allowing just two hits, one walk, and striking out six.

In the top of the sixth frame, Baylor finally cracked through the scoreless standoff, cashing in on smart base running to plate a run.

Shelby Friudenberg led off the inning, roping a line drive back up the middle, glancing off the NSU pitcher, and beating the throw to first by the second baseman.

Freshman Kyla Walker would come on to run for Friudenberg, appearing in just her second game as a Baylor Lady Bear.

Linsey Hays, trying to advance Walker with a bunt, would end up reaching safely on a perfectly placed bunt single, moving Walker up to third after the throw would catch Hays in the back on her run through first.

With runners on first and third, Hays made the jump towards second, drawing a throw down to second base. Hays stopped in the middle of the base path, bringing the Colonels infield into a rundown.

Walker, standing on third base, took off after the second throw in the sequence, scoring easily after Hays drew the defense's attention away long enough to bring home the game-winning run.

In the bottom of the seventh frame, the Colonels pushed back, forcing a base hit and a walk to put the winning run on base with just one out.

Head coach Glenn Moore made the call to the bullpen, bringing in Heather Stearns to put the game away. Two strikeouts would put an end to the late rally, slamming the door shut on a remarkable weekend for both the BU offense and pitching staff.

STAT OF THE DAY #1
15 - the number of RBI recorded by Sarah Smith on the week, helped by three home runs and a bases-loaded clearing triple

STAT OF THE DAY #2
.571 - Jessica Tomchesson's batting average in the six games this week, leading the team

STAT OF THE DAY #3
.116 - the opponent batting average BU pitchers allowed over 34.0 innings of work this week

STAT OF THE DAY #4
10 - the hitting streak extended by Smith, one of six BU players to pick up a hit against NSU

STAT OF THE DAY #5
10 - the career save count for Heather Stearns, moving her into a three-way tie for No. 2 on BU's career saves list, drawing even with Whitney Canion (2009-14) and Joni Miller (2000-03).

WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor continues on to the next leg of the extended road trip, picking back up against San Jose State in Fullerton, Calif., to kick off play in the Judi Garman Invitational, running Mar. 4-6.

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