No. 21 SB Readies for Conference Home Opener Against Kansas

No. 21 BAYLOR (25-8, 0-3) vs. KANSAS (18-12, 0-0)

Friday, March 30 • vs. Kansas • Waco, Texas |Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Big 12 Now ESPN+
Saturday, April 1 • vs. Kansas • Waco, Texas |Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Big 12 Now ESPN+
Sunday, April 2 • vs. Kansas • Waco, Texas |Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Big 12 Now ESPN+

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            At various points in the season, No. 21 Baylor softball has had "one of the best defenses" Glenn Moore has ever had on the field, hit with the best teams in the country and rode the strong right arm of junior pitcher Dariane Orme.
            The problem is getting all three phases going together at the same time.
            "I think throughout the year, we've had moments of greatness in all aspects of the game," said Moore, whose Bears (25-8, 0-3) will host Kansas (18-12, 0-0) in a three-game series starting with Saturday's 6:30 p.m. game at Getterman Stadium.
            "At times, we've looked like the best defensive team I've ever coached. At times, we've looked like the best offensive team. And then, we've had great pitching. But we've yet to have everything synchronized where we're putting it all together in one game. It would be nice to see that this weekend and start playing the way we're capable of."
            One of the most dominant pitchers in the Big 12, Orme (10-3, 1.08 ERA, 92 strikeouts) threw the program's first seven-inning perfect game, tossed another no-hitter and also beat No. 1-ranked Oklahoma. But she has struggled of late, giving up 10 runs (five earned) over 10.2 innings in her last three appearances.
            "I've rarely had a pitcher who didn't go through some ups and downs," Moore said. "Sometimes, a pitcher just needs to step back a little bit and see things from a different perspective. I think she's in the process of doing that."
            With redshirt junior Aaliyah Binford out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury, Orme has put pressure on herself to carry more of the load. But freshman RyLee Crandall (8-4, 2.05) and sophomore Kaci West (5-1, 2.23) have both shined recently, including Crandall putting up six-straight zeroes before allowing a run in the bottom of the 11^th in Friday's 6-5 loss to second-ranked Oklahoma State.
            "The good thing about it is we're seeing some quality innings from RyLee and Kaci," Moore said. "They're being called on to step it up while we get her back."
            An All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection last year, West spent the majority of her time as a utility infielder/outfielder and hit .278 with two homers and 23 RBIs. But with the injuries to Binford and junior college transfer Ava Knoll, she's taken on more responsibility in the circle this season.
            "Whatever role they asked me to take on this year, I was ready and I was going to attack it full speed, no matter what it is – playing third base, pitcher, anywhere," West said. "I've always focused on pitching because that's always been my primary position. Growing up, I was always (a) pitcher (or) outfielder. It's just staying on that core (and) staying focused on it."
            After leaving the second game of the OSU series with a shoulder injury, sophomore transfer Shaylon Govan came back on Wednesday in the DP role and went 2-for-2 with an RBI in a 3-2, eight-inning win over Texas State.
            "Shay's one of the best hitters I've ever seen in my life," senior Josie Bower said of Govan, who's hitting .429 with seven homers and 38 RBIs. "Having her is awesome. I love her."
            Against Texas State, Amber Toven drove in the tying run with a two-out RBI single up the middle in the top of the seventh, then Emily Hott won it with her first homer of the season in the eighth.
            Toven had a defensive lapse in the fifth that allowed the Bobcats' go-ahead run, "but the redemption process came into play where she's up to bat with the tying run on third base," Moore said.
            "If you carry that defensive play over into your offense, the psychology of it is that it's too great of a challenge to overcome," Moore said. "She was able to let that go and focus and get that hit that she hadn't had in a while. And it made the difference in the game."
            The series continues with games at 2 p.m. Saturday and 12 p.m. Sunday, with all three being streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

STORY LINES
• Baylor Softball is set to host the Kansas Jayhawks in its conference home opener March 31-April 2 at Getterman Stadium.
•This weekend is Go Gold weekend and gold giveaway items will be given away all weekend. BU is celebrating Coach Moore's 1,000th career win Friday night and Marigold's Birthday on Saturday. Fans will receive gold t-shirts Friday night, gold poms Saturday and gold rally towels Sunday.
• The Bears lead the all-time record against KU, 43-29, and took two games out of last season's three-game series in Lawrence, Kansas.
• Baylor fell against No. 2 Oklahoma State last week, to start conference play 0-3. The Bears will look to bounce back in conference play this week as they will host Kansas at home for a three-game series.
• Holding steady in the polls, Baylor is now ranked No. 23 in the D1Softball poll and Softball America polls. In the ESPN/USA Today poll the Bears are 22, and in the NFCA coaches' poll they are 21.
• BU is currently sitting at 26 in the NCAA Softball RPI standings.
• Previously this week, the Bears defeated both UTSA and Texas State to start the week, 2-0.
• In the Bears first game against the Roadrunners, Baylor picked up their fifth run-rule victory of the season, defeating UTSA, 8-0.
•BU then traveled to San Marcos, Texas to face the Texas State Bobcats and took a big road win. The Bears scored first in the matchup before the Bobcats took the lead and Baylor had a seventh inning single to tie up the game. In the Bears fourth extra inning game of the season, Emily Hott hit a game winning solo home run in the top of the eight and secured the Bears win.
• Baylor is now 3-1 in extra-inning games on the season. Their one loss in extras was an 11-inning showdown with No. 2 Oklahoma State to open conference play.
• Overall this season, Baylor ranks second in the Big 12 in pitching ERA during all games, with a 1.83 team ERA. No. 1 Oklahoma is the only team ahead of the Bears.
• BU also leads the Big 12 in sacrifice bunts (23), sacrifice fly's (13) and stolen bases (56).
• McKenzie Wilson moved to third place in consecutive reached base streaks this season with a 36-game record.
• Wilson also leads the Big 12 in stolen bases (15), while Presleigh Pilon follows behind her in third place with 11.
• Shaylon Govan leads the Bears with a .429 batting average with five doubles, seven home runs and 38 RBIs. She is currently 11th in the nation in runs batted in per game with 1.23 and leads the Big 12 with 38 already on the season.
• Govan is one of nine Bears to have double digit RBIs already on the season. Emily Hott follows her with 21, Amber Toven has 20, McKenzie Wilson has 13, Taylor Strain has 12, Sydney Collazos and Ana Watson have 11 and Presleigh Pilon and Josie Bower have 10.
• Dariana Orme has the third best season era in the conference (1.08), leads the Bears with 92 strikeouts and leads the conference in innings pitched (90.1).
• The Bears have already recorded 54 stolen bases on the season, more than half of last year's season total of 75.
• Head coach Glenn Moore picked up his 1,000th career win against UT Arlington on March 22. He is the winningest coach in Baylor Athletics history and now ranks 11th among active Division I head softball coaches to reach this milestone. 861 of his 1,000 career wins have come at Baylor University.

- BaylorBears.com -

No. 21 SB Readies for Conference Home Opener Against Kansas

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Players Mentioned

Josie Bower

Sydney Collazos

RyLee Crandall

Shaylon Govan

Emily Hott

Ava Knoll

Dariana Orme

Presleigh Pilon

Taylor Strain

Amber Toven

Ana Watson

Kaci West

McKenzie Wilson

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