No. 16 SB Goes 2-0 in 2019 Home Opener

Friday, February 15

Waco, Texas

3:00 PM CT

Baylor

Sam Houston State

Photo by: Baylor Photography

No. 16 SB Goes 2-0 in 2019 Home Opener

2/15/2019 9:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Lady Bears combine to give up one run in two games

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Based on the Baylor pitching staff's numbers through the first six games, Glenn Moore could have never predicted or certainly expected the Lady Bears to throw 13 shutout innings before surrendering their first run on Friday's opening day of the Getterman Classic.
            After sophomore Sidney Holman combined with Regan Green on a one-hit shutout in beating Sam Houston State, 7-0, freshman Madison Lindsey continued her surprising start to the season by blanking Southern Miss on three hits in five innings of a 3-1 victory over the Golden Eagles in the nightcap at Getterman Stadium.
            "We all just worked together really well today, and I think it's going to be a great season," said Holman (3-1), who had a no-hitter going until a one-out infield single by Bailey White in the fifth inning. "My adrenaline was definitely pumping, but it was a good game, and I had a good defense backing me up. So, it really helped."
            Holman said she tried "not to think about" her no-hit bid. "If it happens, it happens. You just have to work through it and push through it."
            The Lady Bears (6-2) gave Holman all the support she would need with a three-run first inning that included walks by Nicky Dawson and Lou Gilbert, Goose McGlaun's RBI single and a two-run double by freshman Ana Watson.
            Baylor tacked on two more runs in the second, highlighted by a Gilbert RBI single, and then capped the scoring with two unearned runs in the sixth when Taylor Ellis reached on an error and scored on Gilbert's third hit of the day. For the day, the freshman centerfielder was 5-for-5 and raised her batting average 150 points to .384.
            "She's getting more and more confident," Moore said of Gilbert, "and I really like what we're getting out of her. A lot of freshmen are contributing eight now. They scare me sometimes, but I know with every mistake they make they're getting better."
            Green worked a perfect seventh to close out the win over Sam Houston, recorded the last two outs versus Southern Miss to pick up her first save of the year and is scheduled to start Saturday's 12:30 p.m. game against UT-Arlington in the final round-robin game of the tournament.
            "I sure have liked what she's done coming out of the pen," Moore said of Green, who had 12 wins and two saves last season after transferring from Mississippi State. "One thing that she's doing that the others aren't is she's working ahead in the count and throwing strikes and giving us a chance."
            As good as Holman, Lindsey and freshman reliever Kassidy Krupit pitched, Moore was still frustrated with the number of 2-0 counts.
            "That's going to hurt you worse than it has hurt us," Moore said of the pitchers falling behind in the counts. "I want to see the pitchers get ahead in the count, take control of the at-bats a little bit better. I don't expect us to be All-Americans right now. The good thing is we're getting down and fighting back."
            In a game that ultimately decides the No. 1 seed for Saturday's bracket-play semifinals, Baylor broke a scoreless tie with a two-run third inning. After loading the bases with a hit by pitch and back-to-back singles by Dawson and Gilbert, Krupit had an RBI single to right and McGlaun had a sac fly to left to plate the second run.
            Thanks to a hustle play by Gilbert, the Lady Bears added an insurance run in the fifth. Reaching base on a one-out infield single, Gilbert stole second, moved up when the catcher's throw to second got away from the shortstop and scored on a Krupit sac fly to deep center field.
            Lindsey (2-0) took that 3-0 lead into the sixth when Krupit relieved. Southern Miss (6-2) finally got on board in the seventh when Heather Hill led off with a single and scored on Madison Rayner's RBI double to left-center field, but Chase Nelson hit into a game-ending double play when Rayner was gunned down at third by McGlaun.
            "My expectations this year were to just be ready whenever Coach called, kind of just someone who is in the dugout ready to play role and do what I have to do," Lindsey said. "Already, I feel like I have done more than I thought I was going to do coming off the fall. Honestly, I am just ready whenever Coach needs me."
            Southern Miss will face Sam Houston State (3-4) at 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by Baylor versus UTA at 12:30. Live streaming for all tournament games are available on Facebook Live @ BaylorSoftball.

THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas – No. 16 Baylor (6-2) was led by its pitching and defense in its home opener doubleheader Friday at Getterman Stadium. The Lady Bears started off their day with a 7-0 victory over Sam Houston State before topping Southern Miss, 3-1, later Friday evening.

Game 1: Baylor 7, Sam Houston State 0

Sidney Holman gave up only one run through six innings against the Bearkats. She had a no-hitter going until she gave up a single in the fifth inning.

While the defense kept Sam Houston State off the board, the Baylor offense went to work. Goose McGlaun knocked in the first run of the day with a single. She later scored, along with Lou Gilbert, off a two RBI double by Ana Watson.

Gilbert added to Baylor's lead in the second inning with a single down the left field line to score another run. A throwing error by the Sam Houston State catcher allowed another Baylor run to cross home plate to give Baylor a 5-0 lead after two innings.

The Lady Bears didn't score again until the bottom of the sixth inning. Gilbert got things going again with an RBI single and later scored off a base hit to center field by Kassidy Krupit.

Game 2: Baylor 3, Southern Miss 1

Baylor took the lead in the third inning when Krupit singled to right field to score the first run of the game for either team. A second run score soon after when McGlaun smacked a sacrifice fly to left field.

The Lady Bears added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when Krupit recorded her second RBI of the game off a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Gilbert.

Southern Miss got on the board in the top of the seventh when Madison Rayner doubled to left center field, but the Baylor defense ended the contest with an exclamation point.

With a runner on second and one out, Chase Nelson hit a grounder to Taylor Ellis at shortstop who looked down the runner before firing the ball to first for the out. McGlaun then threw to Krupit at third base for the double play.

HIGHLIGHTS

Baylor is 19-0 in home openers under head coach Glenn Moore.
Baylor's record in the Getterman Classic is 72-12 all-time.
Baylor is 5-0 when the opponent scores two runs or less in 2019.
Three different Lady Bears finished with two RBIs each – Lou Gilbert, Ana Watson and Kassidy Krupit.
Four Baylor pitchers combined to allow one run off seven hits in two games.

STAT OF THE GAME
1.000 – Lou Gilbert's batting average for the day. She went 5-for-5 at the plate with a pair of RBIs.

TOP QUOTE
Glenn Moore on Lou Gilbert…
"Good throwout at the plate, good effort on a ball that hit the ground. She's getting more and more confident, and I really like what we're getting out of her. A lot of freshmen are contributing right now. They scare me sometimes but I know with every mistake we make with every mistake they're getting better."

Glenn Moore on the new turf/lights at Getterman Stadium…
"Nice, really nice. There's not a better field in the country than this one right now. Our field crew does a great job of getting it the right softness that we need and it requires a ton of water throughout the week. It's not just game day, so they have to keep it soft and they do a great job."

Sidney Holman on her performance…
"It was pretty exciting. My adrenaline was definitely pumping, but it was a good game and I had a good defense backing me up, so it really helped."

WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor battles UT Arlington at 12:30 p.m. (CT). The Lady Bears will then play in the Getterman Classic semifinals at 3 p.m. (CT) against an opponent that will be determined from the Saturday morning games.