No. 21 SB Falls in Series Opener Against Kansas, 2-1

Friday, March 31

Waco, Texas

6:30 PM

Baylor

25-9, 0

Kansas

19-12, 0

Kansas

Baylor

No. 21 SB Falls in Series Opener Against Kansas, 2-1

3/31/2023 10:40:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score

Bears out-hit the Jayhawks in the loss

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Loading the bases in the first inning, No. 21 Baylor softball missed a chance to break the game open and stranded 10 runners in a frustrating 2-1 loss to the Kansas Jayhawks Friday night in the series opener at Getterman Stadium.
            Baylor (29-9, 0-4) had twice as many hits as the Jayhawks (19-12, 1-0) and got runners in scoring position in three of the first four innings, but the Bears were just 3-for-12 with runners on base and couldn't come up with the clutch hits.
            "That first inning would have been a great opportunity to set the tone, like 'Hey, we're here and this is our house,''' said McKenzie Wilson, who went 2-for-3 with a walk to raise her batting average to .369. "Unfortunately, that didn't happen. It's the offense's job to grind out at-bats and win every pitch. You win pitches, you win at-bats, you get baserunners on and move them over. That's how our offense operates, and we're looking to do that (Saturday)."
            Left-hander Kasey Hamilton (7-4) kept the Baylor hitters off-balance all night and constantly worked out of jams, twice striking out Ana Watson to leave a combined five runners stranded in the first and third innings.
            "Hamilton threw a heck of a ballgame and kept us off-balance when it mattered most," Baylor coach Glenn Moore said, "so I tip my hat to her performance. But I didn't think we played a bad ballgame, either. We just couldn't get timely hits, especially that first inning when we had bases loaded with one out and she gets out of it."
            Kansas got just three hits off Baylor starter Dariana Orme (10-4), but all three came in the second and third innings when the Jayhawks took the early 2-0 lead. Aynslee Linduff came through with an RBI double after a one-out walk by Savanna DesRochers in the second, then Lyric Moore drove in Shayna Espy with a two-out single in the third.
            "She threw really well," Moore said of Orme, who had only one strikeout with three walks. "It took her a little while to get going out of the bullpen to start with, but she did a good job and we played well behind her. I thought we had solid defense."
            Rightfielder Emily Hott came up with a web gem in the sixth, catching a sinking diving line drive off the bat of Moore and then doubling pinch-runner Angela Price off second base.
            Shaylon Govan had a hard-luck day for the Bears, with centerfielder Espy catching a drive to the wall in right center in the fifth and defensive substitute Peyton Renzi taking away a potential leadoff hit in the seventh with a diving catch in right.
            "Obviously, there were a lot of opportunities," Wilson said. "We hit the ball well, we just didn't execute in a timely fashion. That's what we need to do (Saturday). Obviously, the series isn't over. We have an opportunity to even it up tomorrow and then win it on Sunday. So, that's the goal."
            The Bears finally scratched across a run in the sixth on a two-out double by Taylor Strain after pinch-hitter Josie Bowers led off the inning by reaching on a two-base error by Espy on a shallow pop-up.
            After reliever Lizzy Ludwig intentionally walked Wilson to put the go-ahead runner on base, she ended the threat by retiring Amber Toven on a grounder to first, then worked a 1-2-3 seventh to pick up her third save.
            "It was frustrating (getting intentionally walked)," Wilson said, "but Amber hit behind me. I know that girl can play, she was meant for that moment. No one else I would have wanted in that box other than Amber. I know my teammates are more than capable."
            Saturday's game has a 2 p.m. start, with the series finale scheduled for 12 p.m. Sunday, weather permitting.

WACO, Texas – No. 21 Baylor Softball fell against Kansas, 2-1, Friday night at Getterman Stadium in the series opener.

The Bears, now 25-9 on the season, out-hit the Jayhawks in the matchup but left 10 on base and weren't able to come away with timely hits.

Taylor Strain's two-out double cut Kansas' lead in half in the sixth inning, but that would be the only run to come across for the Bears.

THE RUNDOWN
The Bears started the game strong, with a leadoff single from McKenzie Wilson, a sacrifice bunt and back-to-back walks that loaded the bases. But Wilson was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice back to the pitcher, and then a strikeout ended the threat.

Falling behind early, the Bears allowed a Jayhawk run to come home in the second and third innings. The first Kansas run came after a double to right-center and the second came off of a single up the middle.

Starting pitcher Dariana Orme shut down Kansas in the next two innings, going three-up, three-down in both, before a leadoff walk in the top of the sixth was erased by a double play.

Baylor scored its lone run in the bottom of the sixth, when Josie Bower led off the inning by reaching second after the Kansas centerfielder dropped a pop-up in shallow center field. A sacrifice bunt moved Ana Watson as the pinch-runner over to third, and then Strain doubled down the right-field line to bring home the run and cut the deficit to 2-1.

Wilson was intentionally walked in the sixth with the tying run in scoring position, but a groundout ended the Bears' threat.

HIGHLIGHTS

McKenzie Wilson was the only batter to record multiple hits, going 2-for-3 at the plate
Shaylon Govan, Sydney Collazos, Presleigh Pilon and Taylor Strain each tallied a hit in the matchup
Strain recorded the only RBI of the game and the only extra-base hit
The Bears out-hit the Jayhawks, 6-3
Dariana Orme pitched a complete game and only allowed three hits

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Glenn Moore
"Timely hitting was the key I think, and they did have timely hitting. I thought it was an evenly played ballgame and we had some solid barrels and they made some great plays and we made some great plays. (Kasey) Hamilton threw a heck of a ballgame and kept us off-balance when it mattered most, so I tip my hat to her performance. But I didn't think we played a bad ballgame either. We just couldn't get the timely hits, especially that first inning with the bases loaded with one out and she gets out of it. That was a big inning starting off right away. I thought we kept fighting and trying to make adjustments. We had six hits, but I thought we hit the ball better than six hits. I think we'll respond well and play with a little chip on our shoulder."

Outfielder McKenzie Wilson on the bases loaded in the first …
"I wouldn't say it set the tone because we had great at-bats after that. I think timely hitting just wasn't there today. We laced up a lot of balls really hard and they made great plays, and that's just the game of softball. That first inning would have been a great opportunity to set the tone, like 'Hey we're here and this is our house.' Unfortunately, that didn't happen. It's the offense's job to continue to grind out at-bats and win every pitch. You win pitches, you win at-bats, you get baserunners on and move them over. That's how our offense operates, and we're looking to do that tomorrow."

WHAT'S NEXT
The Bears will be back for game two of the three-game series against the Kansas Jayhawks, looking to even the series Saturday, April 1, at 2 p.m. at Getterman Stadium.

- BaylorBears.com -