Friday, May 3
Waco, Texas
4 PM
Baylor
29-19, 0
6
vs
0
Houston
25-27, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Houston
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Baylor
3
0
1
0
0
2
X
6
7
2
SB Takes Two Against Houston
5/3/2024 10:51:00 PM | Softball
Binford tosses one-hit shutout in game one
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Just imagine how good this Baylor softball team could be if it hadn't already lost a handful of players to season-ending injuries.
Riding the momentum of back-to-back conference-series sweeps, the Bears (30-19, 13-13) clinched the No. 4 seed for next week's Big 12 Softball Championship in Oklahoma City with a pair of wins over last-place Houston, 6-0 and 7-1, Friday night at Getterman Stadium.
"This team has been through so much adversity this year," said Aliyah Binford, who tossed a one-hitter with seven strikeouts in the first game and collected a combined four hits on the day. "The vibe is just to go all out, do it for each other, do whatever you can, however you can, and prove to people that adversity isn't going to bring us down."
While the Bears were no longer playing in elevation – they scored 34 runs last week in the road sweep at BYU – the offense stayed hot. Baylor had a combined 18 hits and plated three runs in the first inning of both games.
"We found our rhythm. We got a good combination of hitters and quality at-bats," Baylor coach Glenn Moore said. "This is the team we've been working for the whole year. And hitting is contagious, it really is. When one has a good game, or they're seeing the ball well, then everybody thinks they should be. It also puts pressure on the pitcher, and they start seeing better pitches. This is where we thought we could be earlier in the year, but we got there."
Binford, who has hit below the Mendoza line (.200) most of the season, is 10-for-14 at the plate in her last four games and has raised her batting average to .260.
"I think sometimes, it's having a break or two and getting a hit," Moore said of Binford breaking out of her slump. "And then, all of a sudden, your confidence comes back. . . . It's nice to see (Binford's) confidence come back."
Baylor wasted no time getting it going in the series opener, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on two-out hits by Ana Watson and Binford. Emily Hott led off with a walk and scored on Watson's single to center field, then Binford brought in two more with a double down the left-field line off Houston starter Shelby Smith (10-13).
Shaylon Govan blasted her eighth home run of the season, a no-doubter over the wall in left-center field, to make it 4-0 in the third. And then, she barely saw a pitch in the zone the rest of the day, getting intentionally walked four times and driving in a run with a groundout to short in the second game.
A hit batter, a walk and Kaci West's double to the gap in right-center led to the Bears' final two runs in the sixth inning. Hott scored West with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in center field, but Taylor Strain was doubled off first base after passing the bag at second.
As good as she was at the plate, Binford (10-10) was arguably even better in the circle, taking a no-hitter into the seventh. Bree Cantu bounced a single up the middle that got through for the Cougars' only hit.
"I never know," said Binford, when asked if she knew about the no-hitter. "But when she hit it, I wish I was taller, because if I was like 6-4, that's in my glove, and then I would have realized it."
In fitting fashion, with runners on the corners after a fielding error, Binford fanned Mandy Esman for her seventh strikeout to end the game.
"We were just mixing a lot," Binford said. "Honestly, everything was working when it needed to work. I think me and (pitching coach Britni) Newman . . . we've been going into these games just trying to continue doing what I'm doing and trusting in it every single time."
There was no such no-hitter drama in the second game, but RyLee Crandall (14-7) tossed a three-hitter with six strikeouts to pick up her team-high 14th win of the season.
The Cougars (25-28, 4-22), entrenched in last place, got an infield single from Turiya Coleman in the top of the first. But Binford flipped to leftfielder Hott at third base to get Cantu trying to go first to third on the play for the final out.
"We just gave up four hits (in 14 innings) against a very good-hitting team, a team that's beaten (No. 1-ranked) Texas," Moore said. "If it had been against a team that's hitting below the Mendoza line, you would have said, 'Well, we should have pitched it well.' But this is a good-hitting team, so I feel very good about where our pitching is right now."
Four of Baylor's first five batters reached base in the bottom of the first inning. After Govan was intentionally walked to load the bases, Binford had an RBI single over the third baseman's head, then Watson hit a gapper to right-center to make it 3-0.
The Bears scored a run in each of the next two innings to push it to 5-0 before Jazmyn Rollin hit her 11th homer of the season over the wall in center field for Houston's only run of the day. Coming into the series, the Cougars were hitting .298 with 46 home runs.
Baylor answered with a run in the fourth on a Binford RBI single and added insurance in the sixth when Strain drove in a run with a single to left. Hott (3-for-4), Binford (2-for-4), Watson (2-for-4) and West (2-for-3) had multi-hit games to lead the Bears' 11-hit attack.
"Can't let our foot off pedal now," Moore said. "It's a great time to have this kind of momentum headed to the Big 12 tournament."
Baylor and Houston are scheduled to wrap up the three-game series with a game at 2 p.m. Saturday, weather permitting, when six seniors will be recognized.
WACO, Texas – Baylor Softball took down Houston twice in its Friday doubleheader, 6-0 in game one and 7-1 in game two, at Getterman Stadium.
THE RUNDOWN
Game One
The Bears were able to put up a three-spot in the bottom of the first to take an early lead against the Cougars. Emily Hott got Baylor going when she drew a leadoff walk before Shaylon Govan reached on an error to put two on for Ana Watson. After a single off the bat of Watson brought home Hott, before a double down the left-field line from Aliyah Binford plated two more runs.
After a quiet second inning, the Bears added a fourth run in the third when Govan launched her eighth longball of the season over the fence in left-center.
After two more back-to-back three-up, three-down innings for Binford and the Baylor defense, the Bears got two on in the bottom of the fifth after Govan was intentionally walked and Sydney Collazos singled, but no runs came around to score.
Baylor added its fifth and sixth runs in the bottom of the sixth when Binford led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch before Kaci West doubled to right-center to put runners on second and third. The first run came home on a groundout before a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hott made it 6-0.
With a six-run lead in the top of the seventh, Binford gave up the first hit of the game on a rope up the middle, which would account for the Cougars' only hit of the ballgame.
Game Two
Baylor took the early lead in game two as they kicked things off the same way they did in game one with a walk issued to Hott. After Govan was intentionally walked to put two on with no one out, Binford singled to right field scoring Hott, before Watson doubled to right-center making it a 3-0 ballgame.
After sitting Houston down in order, Ashlyn Wachtendorf led off the second inning with a bunt single before a follow-up single from Hott put two on. The runners moved into scoring position on a groundout before Wachtendorf scored on a groundout to the shortstop.
Starting pitcher RyLee Crandall struck out the side in the top of the third inning, as she caught the last batter looking to close out the inning.
The Bears added a fifth run to their total in the third when Watson doubled and stole third before coming home on a single from West.
Houston was able to plate one run in the top of the fourth on a solo shot to left-center, but Baylor was able to stifle the threat and keep it a 5-1 game.
Baylor got the run back in the bottom half of the inning after Govan was intentionally walked for the third time on the day, second in game two, to load the bases for Binford who singled to left field.
The Bears carried their 6-1 lead until the bottom of the sixth when they added another run to their total. With one out, Collazos was hit by a pitch before West singled to put two on for Taylor Strain, who singled through the left side to score Collazos from third.
Crandall and the Baylor defense forced three-straight groundouts in the top of the seventh to sit the Cougars down and secure the 7-1 victory.
HIGHLIGHTS
UP NEXT
The Bears will face Houston for the series finale on Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m. CT, weather permitting.
Baylor Bear Insider
Just imagine how good this Baylor softball team could be if it hadn't already lost a handful of players to season-ending injuries.
Riding the momentum of back-to-back conference-series sweeps, the Bears (30-19, 13-13) clinched the No. 4 seed for next week's Big 12 Softball Championship in Oklahoma City with a pair of wins over last-place Houston, 6-0 and 7-1, Friday night at Getterman Stadium.
"This team has been through so much adversity this year," said Aliyah Binford, who tossed a one-hitter with seven strikeouts in the first game and collected a combined four hits on the day. "The vibe is just to go all out, do it for each other, do whatever you can, however you can, and prove to people that adversity isn't going to bring us down."
While the Bears were no longer playing in elevation – they scored 34 runs last week in the road sweep at BYU – the offense stayed hot. Baylor had a combined 18 hits and plated three runs in the first inning of both games.
"We found our rhythm. We got a good combination of hitters and quality at-bats," Baylor coach Glenn Moore said. "This is the team we've been working for the whole year. And hitting is contagious, it really is. When one has a good game, or they're seeing the ball well, then everybody thinks they should be. It also puts pressure on the pitcher, and they start seeing better pitches. This is where we thought we could be earlier in the year, but we got there."
Binford, who has hit below the Mendoza line (.200) most of the season, is 10-for-14 at the plate in her last four games and has raised her batting average to .260.
"I think sometimes, it's having a break or two and getting a hit," Moore said of Binford breaking out of her slump. "And then, all of a sudden, your confidence comes back. . . . It's nice to see (Binford's) confidence come back."
Baylor wasted no time getting it going in the series opener, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on two-out hits by Ana Watson and Binford. Emily Hott led off with a walk and scored on Watson's single to center field, then Binford brought in two more with a double down the left-field line off Houston starter Shelby Smith (10-13).
Shaylon Govan blasted her eighth home run of the season, a no-doubter over the wall in left-center field, to make it 4-0 in the third. And then, she barely saw a pitch in the zone the rest of the day, getting intentionally walked four times and driving in a run with a groundout to short in the second game.
A hit batter, a walk and Kaci West's double to the gap in right-center led to the Bears' final two runs in the sixth inning. Hott scored West with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in center field, but Taylor Strain was doubled off first base after passing the bag at second.
As good as she was at the plate, Binford (10-10) was arguably even better in the circle, taking a no-hitter into the seventh. Bree Cantu bounced a single up the middle that got through for the Cougars' only hit.
"I never know," said Binford, when asked if she knew about the no-hitter. "But when she hit it, I wish I was taller, because if I was like 6-4, that's in my glove, and then I would have realized it."
In fitting fashion, with runners on the corners after a fielding error, Binford fanned Mandy Esman for her seventh strikeout to end the game.
"We were just mixing a lot," Binford said. "Honestly, everything was working when it needed to work. I think me and (pitching coach Britni) Newman . . . we've been going into these games just trying to continue doing what I'm doing and trusting in it every single time."
There was no such no-hitter drama in the second game, but RyLee Crandall (14-7) tossed a three-hitter with six strikeouts to pick up her team-high 14th win of the season.
The Cougars (25-28, 4-22), entrenched in last place, got an infield single from Turiya Coleman in the top of the first. But Binford flipped to leftfielder Hott at third base to get Cantu trying to go first to third on the play for the final out.
"We just gave up four hits (in 14 innings) against a very good-hitting team, a team that's beaten (No. 1-ranked) Texas," Moore said. "If it had been against a team that's hitting below the Mendoza line, you would have said, 'Well, we should have pitched it well.' But this is a good-hitting team, so I feel very good about where our pitching is right now."
Four of Baylor's first five batters reached base in the bottom of the first inning. After Govan was intentionally walked to load the bases, Binford had an RBI single over the third baseman's head, then Watson hit a gapper to right-center to make it 3-0.
The Bears scored a run in each of the next two innings to push it to 5-0 before Jazmyn Rollin hit her 11th homer of the season over the wall in center field for Houston's only run of the day. Coming into the series, the Cougars were hitting .298 with 46 home runs.
Baylor answered with a run in the fourth on a Binford RBI single and added insurance in the sixth when Strain drove in a run with a single to left. Hott (3-for-4), Binford (2-for-4), Watson (2-for-4) and West (2-for-3) had multi-hit games to lead the Bears' 11-hit attack.
"Can't let our foot off pedal now," Moore said. "It's a great time to have this kind of momentum headed to the Big 12 tournament."
Baylor and Houston are scheduled to wrap up the three-game series with a game at 2 p.m. Saturday, weather permitting, when six seniors will be recognized.
WACO, Texas – Baylor Softball took down Houston twice in its Friday doubleheader, 6-0 in game one and 7-1 in game two, at Getterman Stadium.
THE RUNDOWN
Game One
The Bears were able to put up a three-spot in the bottom of the first to take an early lead against the Cougars. Emily Hott got Baylor going when she drew a leadoff walk before Shaylon Govan reached on an error to put two on for Ana Watson. After a single off the bat of Watson brought home Hott, before a double down the left-field line from Aliyah Binford plated two more runs.
After a quiet second inning, the Bears added a fourth run in the third when Govan launched her eighth longball of the season over the fence in left-center.
After two more back-to-back three-up, three-down innings for Binford and the Baylor defense, the Bears got two on in the bottom of the fifth after Govan was intentionally walked and Sydney Collazos singled, but no runs came around to score.
Baylor added its fifth and sixth runs in the bottom of the sixth when Binford led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch before Kaci West doubled to right-center to put runners on second and third. The first run came home on a groundout before a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hott made it 6-0.
With a six-run lead in the top of the seventh, Binford gave up the first hit of the game on a rope up the middle, which would account for the Cougars' only hit of the ballgame.
Game Two
Baylor took the early lead in game two as they kicked things off the same way they did in game one with a walk issued to Hott. After Govan was intentionally walked to put two on with no one out, Binford singled to right field scoring Hott, before Watson doubled to right-center making it a 3-0 ballgame.
After sitting Houston down in order, Ashlyn Wachtendorf led off the second inning with a bunt single before a follow-up single from Hott put two on. The runners moved into scoring position on a groundout before Wachtendorf scored on a groundout to the shortstop.
Starting pitcher RyLee Crandall struck out the side in the top of the third inning, as she caught the last batter looking to close out the inning.
The Bears added a fifth run to their total in the third when Watson doubled and stole third before coming home on a single from West.
Houston was able to plate one run in the top of the fourth on a solo shot to left-center, but Baylor was able to stifle the threat and keep it a 5-1 game.
Baylor got the run back in the bottom half of the inning after Govan was intentionally walked for the third time on the day, second in game two, to load the bases for Binford who singled to left field.
The Bears carried their 6-1 lead until the bottom of the sixth when they added another run to their total. With one out, Collazos was hit by a pitch before West singled to put two on for Taylor Strain, who singled through the left side to score Collazos from third.
Crandall and the Baylor defense forced three-straight groundouts in the top of the seventh to sit the Cougars down and secure the 7-1 victory.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The Bears secured 18 hits on the day
- Shaylon Govan hit her eighth home run of the season
- Aliyah Binford pitched a one-hit complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts
- Binford also totaled four hits and four RBIs on the day
- Emily Hott went 3-for-4 in game two with a walk
- Four different Bears had a multi-hit game
- RyLee Crandall improved to 14-7 on the season and totaled six strikeouts
- The Bears have now secures four-straight conference wins
UP NEXT
The Bears will face Houston for the series finale on Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m. CT, weather permitting.
-BaylorBears.com-
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Crandall, RyLee (14-7)
L: Solis, Gigi (1-2)
Batting:
HR: Rollin,Jazmyn 1
RBI: Rollin,Jazmyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rollin,Jazmyn 1
HBP: Beautae,Lair 1
Batting:
2B: Watson, Ana 2
RBI: Flores, Abi 1 ; Binford, Aliyah 2 ; Watson, Ana 2 ; West, Kaci 1 ; Strain, Taylor 1
SH: Pilon, Presleigh 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hott, Emily 2 ; Rowatt, Caroline 1 ; Binford, Aliyah 1 ; Watson, Ana 1 ; Collazos, Sydney 1 ; Wachtendorf, Ashlyn 1
SB: Binford, Aliyah 1 ; Watson, Ana 1
HBP: Collazos, Sydney 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
3b/ph
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
P/INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballUTIL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
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