No. 21 SB Shuts Out Iowa State, 6-0

Thursday, March 28

Waco, Texas

6:30 PM

Baylor

18-11, 0

Iowa State

11-17, 0

Iowa State

Baylor

No. 21 SB Shuts Out Iowa State, 6-0

3/28/2024 10:43:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score

Crandall throws one-hitter, strikes out nine

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

WACO, Texas – Even sitting at the bottom of the Big 12 standings going into Friday's series opener at Getterman Stadium, Baylor coach Glenn Moore knew just how close the 21^st-ranked Bears were to getting this thing turned around.

In one of their most complete games of the season, the Bears (18-11, 2-8) exploded for 11 hits, played flawless defense and got a one-hit shutout from sophomore pitcher RyLee Crandall (8-4) in defeating Iowa State, 6-0, to snap a seven-game conference losing streak.

"I think we were a team that you don't really want to run into right now," Moore said, "because we've been on the verge of getting those wins, and we were just really hungry. To the contrary, we played a team that hasn't been able to play in a while and probably had some rust. We'll see that rust knocked off (Friday)."

Throwing her second complete-game one-hitter, Crandall took a no-hitter into the sixth and retired 16 in a row before Angela Allen lined a single back up the middle through the circle. Retiring the side in order for the fifth time, she had two of her nine strikeouts in the seventh.

"I might get frustrated with a few extra three-ball counts, but she's going to pound the zone the majority of the time and go after hitters," Moore said of Crandall. "She pitches without fear and has high expectations of herself. She's also very confident in the pitch caller over there (in pitching coach Britni Sneed Newman) and the homework she's done on the hitters. They've got good chemistry going, and she's capable of beating good teams."

Iowa State's only real chance came in the top of the first, when Crandall walked two of the first three batters. Leftfielder Emily Hott made a diving catch of a ball off the bat of Allen, then Crandall recorded her first two strikeouts with a pair of runners in scoring position.

"I would just say with the Big 12, it is so important to get that momentum and get it early," Hott said. "If it's me making a diving catch, so be it. If it's getting the home run, so be it. . . . I didn't get a hit in my first at-bat, but I took away a hit. So, that's a hit in my books."

After a run-scoring double by freshman Leah Cran in the second inning, Hott provided all the support Crandall would need with a two-run home run over the wall in right-center field to push the Bears' lead to 3-0 through the first three innings.

"Getterman, I never know if it's going out," said Crandall, who hit her third home run in as many games and a team-best fifth overall. "So, I'll run them out every time. But yeah, it kind of surprised me. I was ready for it to hit the top of the wall, as they usually do. it was great to go up there and score Taylor Strain. I couldn't ask for a better thing."

Three of Baylor's first four batters in the fourth recorded hits, Strain driving in two runs with a double to right-center after a leadoff single by Sydney Collazos and Cran's second double of the night.

"It was just so nice to see the girls out there in the box having fun," Crandall said. "We're having fun on the field, so it was just good to get back to what Baylor softball is like on the daily."

Four outs away from recording a no-hitter, Crandall gave up the two-out hit to Allen in the sixth before striking out two in the seventh and ending the game when Carli Spelhaug popped out to shortstop Presleigh Pilon in foul territory near the third-base dugout.

"It's always nice to start off with a win," Crandall said, "but I feel like this is going to help us get in that right direction of where we want to go and what we're doing. I hope that we can come out and get the series."

Game 2 is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, with the series finale at 12 noon Sunday. Both games will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

WACO, Texas – No. 21 Baylor Softball shut out Iowa State in its series opener, 6-0, Thursday night at Getterman Stadium.

THE RUNDOWN
After two Cyclones drew walks and made it to second and third in the top of the first, the Bears buckled down to keep Iowa State out of scoring position for the rest of the game.

Baylor got the bats going early when Presleigh Pilon singled in the bottom of the first, but that would be all for the Bears as Iowa State converted a double play to end the threat.

BU plated its first run of the game in the bottom half of the second after Abi Flores kicked off the inning with a single to left center and advanced to third on a sac bunt and groundout. With two outs, Leah Cran doubled down the right-field line to score pinch-runner Caroline Rowatt and put BU up 1-0.

In the bottom of the third, Emily Hott launched her third homer in as many games over the wall in right-center field, a two-run shot that gave Baylor the 3-0 advantage.

After RyLee Crandall retired the side in order for the third-straight inning, Sydney Collazos singled and Cran doubled again to put two on for Taylor Strain. The centerfielder then doubled to right-center to bring home both runners and give BU a 5-0 lead over the Cyclones.

Shaylon Govan tallied the Bears' fourth double of the night in the bottom of the fifth, but that would be all the action for BU until another run came home in the sixth.

Crandall, who took a no-hitter into the sixth, allowed only one hit in the game, a single up the middle that accounted for only the third Cyclones base runner of the game.

Cran singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth before pinch-hitter Shannon Vivoda launched the Bears' fifth double of the night to the wall in right-center field. The hit brought home Cran for BU's sixth run of the night and secured the victory after the Bears retired the Cyclones in order again in the top of the seventh.

HIGHLIGHTS

Emily Hott recorded a home run for her third-straight game
Abi Flores went 2-for-3 at the plate
Leah Cran was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles while scoring two runs
Eight Bears combined for 11 hits
RyLee Crandall pitched a seven-inning complete-game shutout, only allowing one hit while striking out nine
This is the Bears' seventh game this season with double-digit hits
This marks the second time this season the Bears have limited an opponent to one hit
The Bears now have six shutouts on the season

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Glenn Moore on the game …
"I think we were a team that you don't really want to run into right now because we've been on the verge of getting those wins and we were just really, really hungry right now. To the contrary, we played a team that hasn't been able to play in a while and probably had some rust. We'll see that rust knocked off tomorrow. So we've got to make sure we continue to get better from this as well. But I think we were a very hungry team today. Our maturity with this team, our upperclassmen, I think they were going to make sure that we were going to come out ready to play. They did some extra leading, if you will, after practice yesterday. And I was happy to see that and happy to see the team respond to that leadership."

Emily Hott on her diving catch before her home run …
"I would just say with Big 12 it is so important to get that momentum and get it early, so I'm going do it any way I can. And if it's me making a diving catch, so be it; if it's me getting the home run, so be it. So, it's always good to have that in the back of your mind that it's all right, I didn't get a hit my first at-bat, but I took away a hit, so that's a hit in my books."

RyLee Crandall on her performance in the circle …
"You know, things happen, and I feel like growth came from that. Maybe not the best start, but I wanted to make sure that from then on, I was solid for my team because they started off great offensively."

UP NEXT
The Bears will face Iowa State for game two of the three-game series at 2 p.m. Friday, March 29, at Getterman Stadium.

-BaylorBears.com-