SB Clinches Series Win over No. 22 UCF with an 8-2 Win on Sunday

Sunday, March 15

Orlando, FL

10 AM

Baylor

20-7, 0

UCF

23-7, 0

Baylor

UCF

SB Clinches Series Win over No. 22 UCF with an 8-2 Win on Sunday

3/15/2026 1:39:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Sunday marks the first time BU has won its first two conference series’ since 2017

By: Matt Roberts

ORLANDO, Fla. – Baylor softball capped a strong weekend with an 8-2 victory over No. 22 UCF on Sunday at the UCF Softball Complex.

BU worked its way into a season-high 10 walks, cashing them in for eight runs as Cambree Creager twirled her third complete game of the season.

The win secured the program's first series win over a ranked opponent since February of 2024, and are now off to their best start in conference play since 2017.

RUNDOWN

UCF struck first in the opening inning when Kendall Yarnell singled down the right-field line to bring home Izzy Mertes for a 1-0 lead.

Baylor answered in the second inning when Kaygen Marshall walked and stole second before Amber Toven delivered a two-run single up the middle to score Marshall and pinch runner Gigi Lindsey, giving the Bears a 2-1 advantage.

Marshall again sparked a rally in the third with a walk before Olivia Buettner and Averie Waddell drew free passes to load the bases. Gianna Gusman was hit by a pitch to force in a run, and Brooklyn Carter followed with an RBI single to extend Baylor's lead to 4-1.

Baylor broke the game open in the fourth inning with three more runs. Karynton Dawson doubled to center before Leah Cran doubled to left to score her. Later in the inning, Waddell delivered a two-run single to center field to push the Bears' lead to 7-1.

UCF added a run in the bottom of the fourth when Aubrey Evans tripled to right field and scored Sierra Humphreys, but the Bears maintained control of the game.

Baylor added one final run in the seventh when Carter reached on an infield single, stole second and later scored on a fielding error to seal the 8-2 victory.

The Bears improved to 20-7 overall and 5-1 in Big 12 play.

GAME NOTES

· Baylor is 14-4 against UCF and 4-3 in Orlando

· The Bears have won all three series' against UCF as conference foes

· BU took a series from a ranked team for the first time since February of 2024, when it won two of three at No. 23 Louisiana

· Baylor has won each of its first two Big 12 series' for the first time since 2017

· The Bears had 10 walks as a team, setting a new season high

· The Bears were not retired in order until the fifth inning

· Glenn Moore is now 1,101-542, and 961-500 at Baylor

· The Bears are now 5-4 on the road, improving to 10-4 away from Getterman Stadium

· BU is 6-5 this season when its opponent scores first

· Baylor is 5-1 this season when wearing all-green uniforms

· The Bears used a 27^th-different lineup combination this season

· With a double on Sunday, Karynton Dawson added to her team-high 12 extra base hits

· Cambree Creager went the distance for a third time this season, tying a career high with 7.0 inning pitched

· Leah Cran now has a team-high eight doubles this season

· Averie Waddell drove in a pair of runs for her third multi-rbi game of the season

· With her second-inning base hit, Amber Toven improved to 4-for-5 (.800) with 11 RBIs this season when hitting with the bases loaded

· Toven added to her team-high 25 RBIs, and has 22-career multi-RBI games

· Kaygen Marshall and Olivia Buettner each worked a season-high three walks

· Buettner reached base four times without recording an official at bat (HBP and three walks)

· Brooklyn Carter had a plate appearance in each of the first four innings of the game

· Carter tied a career high with five at-bats on Sunday, upping her on-base streak to a season-high eight games

· Carter added to her team-leading 12 stolen bases

WHAT'S NEXT

The Bears will face No. 3 Texas in a home-and-home series against no. 3 Texas. Game one of the series will be at 6:30 p.m., on Friday night in Austin, with the teams returning to Waco to conclude the series on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m.

All games for the remainder of the season will be televised on ESPN+ and heard on air and online via 101.3 COOL FM.

Follow @BaylorSoftball on X, Instagram and Facebook for additional updates.

—BaylorBears.com—