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WACO, Texas -- No. 16 Baylor softball (2-1) clinched its first series win, taking the season opening series over McNeese State with a 6-5 rubber match victory on Sunday at Getterman Stadium.

After a shaky start to the game in the circle, Heather Stearns would be replaced in the fourth inning after a steady attack from the McNeese offense forced Kendall Potts (2-0) on in relief.

Bouncing back from a pair of games with sporadic offense, BU kept its foot on the gas, with a four-run third and two-run fifth inning scoring effort.

Down 2-0 in the third, Baylor got the ball rolling with a lead-off double by Jessie Scroggins. Ari Hawkins roped a single into the left center gap, moving Scroggins to third and advancing to second on the throw.

Lindsey Cargill put on an attempted sacrifice bunt to move the runners in scoring position, but ended up reaching safely on the fielder's choice when Scroggins beat the throw.

Shelby Friudenberg drilled a single into the left center gap, advancing to second on the throw to third and scoring Hawkins and Scroggins.

Linsey Hays put on her first big play of the game, drilling a double off the wall and scoring pinch runner Riley Browder and Cargill to take a 4-2 lead.

The Cowgirls fought back, putting up two runs in the top of the fifth to draw the game even at 4-4.

Friudenberg reached again on a single roped down the left field line. Hays stepped up and drilled her first home run of the season well over the left-center field wall, giving the Lady Bears the lead.

Despite a late push by the Cowgirls, Baylor hung on to take a 6-5 victory, with Stearns reentering to pick up her first save of the season.

STAT OF THE DAY
28 -- Linsey Hays' career home run count, tying for No. 4 on BU's all-time leader board (Ashley Monceaux, 2006-07)

TOP QUOTE #1
"I have to give credit to a good McNeese State team, every inning they were threatening to score. If we punched them, they punched back. They are a good team. They didn't just play good, they are a good team. We are good team that did not play well all weekend. I am not happy with a lot of what I saw this weekend, but at the same time, I know what kind of team we are capable of being. We came out here with a series win, so I feel fortunate there, because honestly, it could have been 0-3 with the way we played" --head coach Glenn Moore on the series win

TOP QUOTE #2
"It was not our best stuff, but it is still early. We have a lot of work to do and we know that. We are going to take this next week to improve what we need to improve on. It's a long season for a reason." --OF Linsey Hays on the team's win

TOP QUOTE #3
"We knew we were not going to come out and play perfect because it's the first weekend. We know what we need to work on and we are ready to start preparing for next week." --INF Shelby Friudenberg on what the team's approach is moving forward

WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor hosts its 15th-annual Getterman Classic, kicking off the four-team tournament with Northwestern State on Friday, Feb. 19, at 3 p.m. at Getterman Stadium.

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