SB Bounces Back in Win over No. 21 Oklahoma State

Saturday, March 23

Waco, Texas

1:00 PM CT

Baylor

14-13, 0

Oklahoma State

22-9, 0

Oklahoma State

Baylor

Photo by: Baylor Photography

SB Bounces Back in Win over No. 21 Oklahoma State

3/23/2019 5:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Lady Bears plate pair of runs in sixth inning

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            The Baylor softball team that showed up to Getterman Stadium Saturday afternoon didn't look anything like the one that got handed a 21-2 beatdown by 21^st-ranked Oklahoma State just 20 hours earlier.
            While sophomore Sidney Holman (9-6) had a nice bounce-back game in the circle, holding the Cowgirls to just one run on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts, the Lady Bears threatened all day and finally broke through with the tying and go-ahead runs in the sixth to come away with a much-needed 2-1 victory.
            "We didn't just leave here yesterday and show back up today," said Baylor coach Glenn Moore, whose team improved to 14-13 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12. "There were a lot of discussions and meetings and film-watching and a lot of effort from the team leaders to the coaches, trying to help get back on the right track from the train wreck we saw yesterday. I was really happy that we showed up and competed today."
            Picking up where it left off the night before, OSU (22-9, 1-1) plated a run in the first inning on a two-out single by Madi Sue Montgomery and Chyenne Factor's RBI double to the gap in left-center field.
            But, Holman settled down and gave up just one hit the rest of the way and retired the side in order in three of the last six innings.
            "Today, I just felt more in the zone, I was more relaxed," Holman said. "Even though other people might have been more opposite, like more stressed out, I was more relaxed just because I was like, 'If I come in here and just do my job, I know team will back me up.'''
            And it did, even if took the Lady Bears a little while to do it.
            Leaving 12 runners stranded for the day, Baylor had runners in scoring position in all but one inning.
            With a chance to answer the Cowgirls' early run, the Lady Bears loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half of the first inning on a leadoff walk by Goose McGlaun and back-to-back singles by Kassidy Krupit and Taylor Ellis. But, pitcher Samantha Clakley threw out McGlaun at home plate on an Ana Watson comebacker, then struck out Lou Gilbert looking.
            "We had opportunities offensively early on, we just couldn't get a timely hit," Moore said. "We looked at two called third strikes. You put the ball in play, who knows what happens there."
            Finally, in the sixth, Baylor got the runs it needed. After consecutive one-out walks, Clakley was pulled for Logan Simunek, who struck out Nicky Dawson before walking Krupit to load the bases with two out.
            Madi O'Neal scored the tying run when Ellis was hit on a 3-0 pitch, then Watson drove in McGlaun with an infield single. Pinch-runner Alyssa Avalos was thrown at the plate on the play, but the damage was done and Baylor had the lead.
            "I'm not a typical patient coach," Moore said. "I know you need to be patient at times, but there's a sense of urgency in this game. If you pass up too many opportunities, you don't get another try. But, it rolled around just right with our lineup to where we had the right people up there when it mattered the most."
            Holman pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to close it out, striking out dangerous hitter Michaela Richbourgh and then getting Kiley Naomi on a grounder to third for the final out.
            "I think everybody just really stepped up today," Holman said. "We just did our jobs when we needed to get it done."
            Watson had a three-hit day after blasting a two-run homer in Friday's loss, while McGlaun was in the leadoff spot for the first time this season and reached base on four trips to the plate with a single and three walks.
            Baylor and Oklahoma State close out the three-game series with a 3 p.m. matchup Sunday that will be televised by ESPN2.

THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas – After dropping the first game of the three-game series to No. 21 Oklahoma State on Friday, Baylor (14-13) used a two-run sixth inning to top the Cowgirls, 2-1.
Oklahoma State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, and that was the only run the Cowgirls scored Saturday afternoon. Overall, OSU had six baserunners as the Baylor defense retired Oklahoma State in order three different times – second, fourth and seventh innings.
The Cowgirls threatened to put another run on the board in the top of the sixth with a runner on third and two outs. Nicky Dawson made a diving play to snag a grounder at second and get the out at first to end the frame.
Baylor had runners on base each inning but didn't score them until the sixth inning. Madi O'Neal, Goose McGlaun and Kassidy Krupit each walked to load the bases for BU with two outs. Taylor Ellis then was hit by a pitch to score O'Neal and tie the game at one.
Ana Watson, after hitting her first career home run on Friday, stepped to the plate after Ellis and drove in what would be the game winning run. Her infield single ricocheted off the pitcher as the speedy freshman made it safely to first. That scored McGlaun from third to put the Lady Bears up by one.

HIGHLIGHTS

Sidney Holman pitched her fifth complete game of the season as she gave up one run off three hits with six strikeouts.
Goose McGlaun, hitting leadoff for the first time all season, got on base every time she stepped to the plate. McGlaun singled through the right side in the fourth inning and also drew three walks. It marked the third time this season that she walked three times in a game.
Josie Bower caught five different fly balls in right field. One of her snags was a diving catch.
Nicky Dawson has reached base safely in every game this season, making her streak of 27-straight games a career best.
Ana Watson went 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. She was the only Lady Bear to finish with a multi-hit game.
Saturday's attendance of 1,573 bested the previous season high of 1,373 that was set Friday night.

STAT OF THE GAME
1 – Number of hits Oklahoma State recorded in the final six innings.

TOP QUOTES
Glenn Moore on the win…
"It makes a difference whenever they are having to hit your pitch rather than you having to throw a strike in those three ball counts when you have to go down the middle and make sure not to walk them. They are getting much better pitches to hit, so those balls that are hit on the infield today are easier to field than the ones they (OSU) were hitting yesterday for sure. There were some great plays. None were better than the one Nicky (Dawson) made at second in the top of the sixth. … It was a true team effort from us today. We had opportunities offensively early on, we just couldn't get a timely hit."

Glenn Moore on the fight of his team…
"We didn't just leave here yesterday and show back up today. There were a lot of discussions, meetings, and film watching and a lot of effort went in from team leaders to coaches trying to help get back on the right track from the train wreck that we saw yesterday. I was really happy that we showed up and competed today… We got our heads on straight and had a good performance out of (Sidney) Holman. I am really proud of their fight today."

Sidney Holman on her performance…
"Today I just felt more in the zone. I was more relaxed, even though other people would have been the complete opposite and more stressed out. I was more relaxed just because I was telling myself that, "'If I come in here and just do my job, I know my team will back me up.'"

WHAT'S NEXT
The series between Baylor and Oklahoma State will be decided in a nationally televised contest Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN2.

www.BaylorBears.com