NUMBERS IN THE CIRCLE
2/10/2022 11:54:00 PM | Softball
Fresno State Transfer Leading Deep Pitching Staff for Bears
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Going into his 22nd year at Baylor and 25th as a head coach, Glenn Moore is fielding one of the youngest and most inexperienced teams he's ever had with 10 newcomers on a 21-player roster.
And he's loving every minute of it.
"It's been refreshing, to be honest with you, being able to teach again," said Moore, whose Baylor softball team opens the season at the Lady Demon Classic that begins Friday in Natchitoches, La. "Some are very eager to learn a new system. This group is sponges. From that standpoint, at least until the games start, it's been fun to coach this group."
The Bears did make an NCAA Regional last year with an experienced team that included sixth-year senior pitcher Gia Rodoni, who tossed three no-hitters in NCAA regional games; and fifth-year seniors Goose McGlaun, Taylor Ellis and Nicky Dawson.
Knowing there was an experience void, Moore added four transfers – pitchers Dariana Orme from Fresno State and Rachel Hertenberger from Houston, centerfielder McKenzie Wilson from Fresno and converted first baseman Rhein Trochim from Illinois.
A sophomore on Baylor's last Women's College World Series team in 2017, Rodoni was the staff ace for most of her career and ranks fifth all-time with 71 career wins and second in program history with 815 strikeouts. On last year's 27-23 team, she was 11-12 with a 3.69 ERA.
"I can't say enough about what she did and sacrificed to be here," Moore said. "She didn't have to be here last year, of course, and stuck around. I'm certainly going to miss that mentality and the competitor she was, but there's a sense of serenity when you know a player has given everything they had to the program. It's time to move on to something else and let somebody else take care of the reins."
After a 13-year run dominated by aces Whitney Canion (2009-14) and Rodoni (2016-21), the Bears will rely on a deeper staff this season with Orme, Hertenberger, sophomores Aliyah Binford and Maren Judisch and freshman Kaci West.
Orme pitched five complete games last season with two shutouts and was 8-4 with a 3.26 ERA and 47 strikeouts as Fresno's No. 2 pitcher.
"Honestly, I think we have a great staff," said Orme, who figures to be the Bears' No. 1. "We all bring different stuff to the table. I think wherever I'm needed, I'll be able to fit in. But, our staff is just incredible. I'm ready to just fill whatever slot they need on whatever day."
Hertenberger was a freshman on Houston's NCAA regional team in 2018 and recorded wins last year over seventh-ranked Oklahoma State and Baylor, holding the Bears to four hits in a 3-1 Cougar victory.
"I'm so excited just to be able to play here," Hertenberger said. "It's my dream school, and I finally got the opportunity this year to be a part of this team. Immediately, I was on that and took it."
Penciled in as the cleanup hitter and starting third baseman, Binford hit .284 last year with five home runs, nine doubles and 28 RBI. But, Moore is also confident that Binford can be one of Baylor's top pitchers after going 5-5 with a 5.82 ERA last year.
"We didn't have intentions of using her as a pitcher when we brought her on board. She was a pitcher second," Moore said. "Now, she's kind of evolved and can be a dominating pitcher. After Arizona State had beaten us in the first game (last year), she showed a lot of intimidating power and just picked apart a very impressive offense that I think was undefeated at the time. Our challenge has been, how do we balance the two and give her enough time in the bullpen."
Giving the Bears options out of the bullpen, Judisch was 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA last season and West was a two-time all-state pitcher at Liberty High School who was recruited as an outfielder.
"I don't want to put too much pressure on (Orme), but she's a good one," Moore said. "It will take some time to get some rust knocked off, I know, but she's going to be our leader there, I think."
Baylor's offense should be "certainly multi-dimensional compared to last year," Moore said, with Wilson and sophomore second baseman Emily Hott providing speed at the top of the lineup and "some power in lineup from maybe people who are unexpected."
Binford (5), Hott (4) and catcher Zadie LaValley (2) combined to hit 11 last year, while 5-4 sophomore outfielder Ana Watson has hit two career homers and "can hit a ball as far as anybody," Moore said.
LaValley and Sydney Collazos will split time at catcher, with Hott at second base, Binford at third, Wilson in center field, redshirt freshman Taylor Strain in left and Watson in right. The other infield spots are more up for grabs, with Kendall Cross, Trochim and LaValley as options at first base and Campbell Selman and freshman Rylie Bouvier at shortstop.
"We're a team that has to evolve," Moore said. "We're not going to jump right out of the starting gate and look great. But, the potential is there to be pretty good."
The Bears will face Tennessee Martin in Friday's season opener at 5:30 p.m., Northwestern State and Tennessee Chattanooga on Saturday and Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday.
Because of the makeup of the team with so many newcomers, Moore didn't schedule quite as tough as he usually does, but did mix in some tests with a three-game series against 18th-ranked Oregon on Feb. 18-19 at Getterman Stadium, No. 3 UCLA in the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., and top-ranked Oklahoma at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu.
"I did see this coming and tried to schedule . . . I feel confident in my schedule, although it's tougher right now with the COVID stuff and who's traveling," Moore said. "I think we've got a good balance where we can grow this team. You've got to protect your RPI, and you've got to be in a position to do something in postseason. RPI is my biggest concern, but our conference is going to help us there."
Baylor Bear Insider
Going into his 22nd year at Baylor and 25th as a head coach, Glenn Moore is fielding one of the youngest and most inexperienced teams he's ever had with 10 newcomers on a 21-player roster.
And he's loving every minute of it.
"It's been refreshing, to be honest with you, being able to teach again," said Moore, whose Baylor softball team opens the season at the Lady Demon Classic that begins Friday in Natchitoches, La. "Some are very eager to learn a new system. This group is sponges. From that standpoint, at least until the games start, it's been fun to coach this group."
The Bears did make an NCAA Regional last year with an experienced team that included sixth-year senior pitcher Gia Rodoni, who tossed three no-hitters in NCAA regional games; and fifth-year seniors Goose McGlaun, Taylor Ellis and Nicky Dawson.
Knowing there was an experience void, Moore added four transfers – pitchers Dariana Orme from Fresno State and Rachel Hertenberger from Houston, centerfielder McKenzie Wilson from Fresno and converted first baseman Rhein Trochim from Illinois.
A sophomore on Baylor's last Women's College World Series team in 2017, Rodoni was the staff ace for most of her career and ranks fifth all-time with 71 career wins and second in program history with 815 strikeouts. On last year's 27-23 team, she was 11-12 with a 3.69 ERA.
"I can't say enough about what she did and sacrificed to be here," Moore said. "She didn't have to be here last year, of course, and stuck around. I'm certainly going to miss that mentality and the competitor she was, but there's a sense of serenity when you know a player has given everything they had to the program. It's time to move on to something else and let somebody else take care of the reins."
After a 13-year run dominated by aces Whitney Canion (2009-14) and Rodoni (2016-21), the Bears will rely on a deeper staff this season with Orme, Hertenberger, sophomores Aliyah Binford and Maren Judisch and freshman Kaci West.
Orme pitched five complete games last season with two shutouts and was 8-4 with a 3.26 ERA and 47 strikeouts as Fresno's No. 2 pitcher.
"Honestly, I think we have a great staff," said Orme, who figures to be the Bears' No. 1. "We all bring different stuff to the table. I think wherever I'm needed, I'll be able to fit in. But, our staff is just incredible. I'm ready to just fill whatever slot they need on whatever day."
Hertenberger was a freshman on Houston's NCAA regional team in 2018 and recorded wins last year over seventh-ranked Oklahoma State and Baylor, holding the Bears to four hits in a 3-1 Cougar victory.
"I'm so excited just to be able to play here," Hertenberger said. "It's my dream school, and I finally got the opportunity this year to be a part of this team. Immediately, I was on that and took it."
Penciled in as the cleanup hitter and starting third baseman, Binford hit .284 last year with five home runs, nine doubles and 28 RBI. But, Moore is also confident that Binford can be one of Baylor's top pitchers after going 5-5 with a 5.82 ERA last year.
"We didn't have intentions of using her as a pitcher when we brought her on board. She was a pitcher second," Moore said. "Now, she's kind of evolved and can be a dominating pitcher. After Arizona State had beaten us in the first game (last year), she showed a lot of intimidating power and just picked apart a very impressive offense that I think was undefeated at the time. Our challenge has been, how do we balance the two and give her enough time in the bullpen."
Giving the Bears options out of the bullpen, Judisch was 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA last season and West was a two-time all-state pitcher at Liberty High School who was recruited as an outfielder.
"I don't want to put too much pressure on (Orme), but she's a good one," Moore said. "It will take some time to get some rust knocked off, I know, but she's going to be our leader there, I think."
Baylor's offense should be "certainly multi-dimensional compared to last year," Moore said, with Wilson and sophomore second baseman Emily Hott providing speed at the top of the lineup and "some power in lineup from maybe people who are unexpected."
Binford (5), Hott (4) and catcher Zadie LaValley (2) combined to hit 11 last year, while 5-4 sophomore outfielder Ana Watson has hit two career homers and "can hit a ball as far as anybody," Moore said.
LaValley and Sydney Collazos will split time at catcher, with Hott at second base, Binford at third, Wilson in center field, redshirt freshman Taylor Strain in left and Watson in right. The other infield spots are more up for grabs, with Kendall Cross, Trochim and LaValley as options at first base and Campbell Selman and freshman Rylie Bouvier at shortstop.
"We're a team that has to evolve," Moore said. "We're not going to jump right out of the starting gate and look great. But, the potential is there to be pretty good."
The Bears will face Tennessee Martin in Friday's season opener at 5:30 p.m., Northwestern State and Tennessee Chattanooga on Saturday and Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday.
Because of the makeup of the team with so many newcomers, Moore didn't schedule quite as tough as he usually does, but did mix in some tests with a three-game series against 18th-ranked Oregon on Feb. 18-19 at Getterman Stadium, No. 3 UCLA in the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., and top-ranked Oklahoma at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu.
"I did see this coming and tried to schedule . . . I feel confident in my schedule, although it's tougher right now with the COVID stuff and who's traveling," Moore said. "I think we've got a good balance where we can grow this team. You've got to protect your RPI, and you've got to be in a position to do something in postseason. RPI is my biggest concern, but our conference is going to help us there."
Players Mentioned
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INF
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INF/C
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P
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UTIL
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RHP
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C
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UTIL
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P
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RHP
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UTIL
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OF
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OF
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