No. 14 SB Prepares for Conference Opener Against No. 7 Oklahoma State

No. 14 BAYLOR (13-3) vs No. 7 Oklahoma State

Friday, March 8 • vs Oklahoma State • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+
Saturday, March 8 • vs Oklahoma State • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+
Sunday, March 8 • vs Oklahoma State • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

After a challenging February schedule that included eight of its first 11 games against ranked teams, it seems almost fitting that the 14^th-ranked Baylor softball team (13-3) will open Big 12 play this weekend with a three-game series at home against No. 7 Oklahoma State (18-2).

"We're as ready, as prepared, as you could be," said senior leftfielder Emily Hott, who's hitting .348 with a team-best six extra-base hits. "It's always fun starting out with one of the top teams in the conference as well. We'll get to see early on how our skills will match up with one of the top teams in the country."

With both teams riding league-best 12-game winning streaks, the series begins with a 6:30 p.m. game Friday at Getterman Stadium, followed by 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. All three games will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

"I think we're as prepared as well as anybody would be in this situation because of our schedule," said Baylor coach Glenn Moore, whose Bears are 5-3 versus ranked teams, with wins over Louisiana, Oregon, UCLA and Missouri.

"I'm excited about the challenge and excited about the conference, quite frankly. It's going to be great to watch how things pan out – upsets happen and see teams grow. And we've got a lot of growing still to do. I like the fact that this conference is one of the top conferences in the country and maybe THE top conference this year."

Even with the hot start, it hasn't come without a few bumps in the road.

Senior pitcher Dariana Orme, who had offseason surgery to address the thoracic outlet syndrome that forced her to shut it down last season, hasn't fully recovered and has thrown just 8.1 innings total in three appearances.

Taylor Strain has had to fill in for centerfielder McKenzie Wilson, who is indefinitely suspended, while Presleigh Pilon moved from second base to shortstop when Amber Toven suffered a torn ACL.

"It's just so amazing to see someone be so natural at the middle infield spot," said Hott, who has played first, second and outfield. "The switch over from second to shortstop is a lot more difficult than people would think, especially with the arm angles. She's really just taken it in and put in extra work to make sure she can handle it as best as humanly possible. Like that high chop that went over the pitcher, she came in and just sidearmed it to first. Amazing."

Baylor comes in hitting .297 but has hit a conference-low five home runs. Junior first baseman Shaylon Govan, who hit 11 homers a year ago, is hitting a team-high .463 with one home run, three doubles and six RBIs and has been walked 13 times.

"She's a junior, but we used to call that a sophomore slump," Moore said of Govan's power shortage, "because last year is really when she made a name for herself. The sophomore slump typically happens because of respect, because you've got a target on your back.

"We've said from day one, she's only going to get pitched to according to who we have hitting behind her. We've done an adequate job behind her, but they're still picking their poison and they would rather pitch to her carefully."

Since moving into the leadoff spot, Strain is hitting .400 (6-for-15) with two doubles, one RBI and two runs scored over the last five games.

In the circle, the Bears have had a solid 1-2 punch with sophomore RyLee Crandall (6-0, 1.32 ERA, 31 strikeouts) and senior Aliyah Binford (5-2, 2.69, 52 strikeouts). Junior Kaci West has also been solid out of the bullpen, with a league-high three saves, and has not allowed a run over her last six appearances covering 10.0 innings

"Obviously, we haven't been able to use Dari Orme the way we wanted to, and that's a big blow to us," Moore said. "But I think RyLee getting the experience she got last year and the wins she had last year has propelled her into pitching like an upperclassman early in her sophomore year. And then, Aliyah just disrupts lineups. It's really hard to time her, and she's got the velocity at the same time. They work well together."

Oklahoma State is hitting .353 as a team with 32 homers and boasts a 1.55 ERA. A transfer from Alabama who earned third-team All-America honors last year, Lexi Kilfoyle is 7-2 with a 0.83 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 42.1 innings.

"They're a solid ballclub top to bottom," Moore said. "They also have four World Series in a row on the resume, too. So, there's no lack of confidence with them. You're going to have to overcome some things to have a chance of beating them."

STORY LINES
• Baylor Softball begins Big 12 Conference play this week, as they host No. 7 Oklahoma State March 8-10 at Getterman Stadium.
• The Bears are in the midst of a 12-game win streak, including a 3-0 sweep of Morgan State last weekend at home and two midweek wins against Sam Houston and Penn State.
• Oklahoma State holds the all-time record over the Bears 48-31, but BU hold the record in Waco, 16-13.
• Baylor is now 13-3 on the season with all three of the Bears' losses this season have come against ranked opponents.
• The team comes back to the diamond with a veteran squad that consists of seven seniors and 17 upperclassmen.
• After ending the 2023 campaign back in the NCAA postseason, the Bears are looking to build on last year's 40-win season while returning all but one senior, Josie Bower, from the roster.
• Baylor added three freshmen to the squad with pitcher Lexie Warncke and infielders, Paige King and Leah Cran.
• Baylor is ranked in all four national polls: No. 13 (Softball America), No. 10 (D1Softball), No. 14 (ESPN/USA Softball) and No. 19 (USA Today/NFCA).
• The Bears have already faced five ranked teams this season: No. 2 Tennessee, No. 23 Louisiana, No. 25 Oregon, No. 19 UCLA and No. 13 Missouri. The Cowgirls will account for the sixth ranked team of the season.
• The Bears are excelling in the circle this season, with a 2.11 ERA as a team. RyLee Crandall leads the way with a 6-0 record and a 1.32 ERA.
• Aliyah Binford has a team-leading 52 strikeouts and holds a 5-2 record. She is currently ranked No. 22 in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings.
• Sydney Collazos has been a threat behind the plate, throwing out seven runners so far this season and picking off a batter at first base. She is tied for seventh in the country in caught stealing by records.
• Shaylon Govan leads the Bears with a .463 average, 19 hits, three doubles and a home run. With her .592 on base percentage, Govan is ranked 18th in the country in walks per game and has been walked 13 times so far this season.
• Emily Hott has been on fire in the batter's box, with 16 hits already this season and a .587 slugging percentage. She has three doubles, two home runs and a triple on the season.
• Kaci West picked up three saves in the circle against Morgan State. She pitched a total of 4.2 innings over the three games, striking out six and not allowing a hit or run. She now leads the Big 12 with saves on the season.
• Govan was named to the preseason All-Big 12 team as a unanimous decision.
• Senior pitcher Dariana Orme was named to the USA Softball Top 50 Player of the Year Watch List for the season. She led the Bears in the circle last season with 1.92 ERA and 126 strikeouts.
• The 2024 squad has turned 13 total double plays already this season. The Bears are ranked No. 1 nationally in double plays turned per game (.81) with 13 turned through 16 games.
• Fifteen different Bears have recorded a hit so far this season, with Govan leading the way with 19, followed by Taylor Strain and Emily Hott with 16.
• Head coach Glenn Moore hit his 1,000th career win last season, when the Bears took down UT Arlington on March 23, 2023. He is looking for his 900th win at Baylor this season and is nine wins away from that milestone.

-BaylorBears.com-

No. 14 SB Prepares for Conference Opener Against No. 7 Oklahoma State

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Players Mentioned

Aliyah Binford

Josie Bower

Sydney Collazos

Leah Cran

RyLee Crandall

Shaylon Govan

Emily Hott

Paige King

Dariana Orme

Presleigh Pilon

Taylor Strain

Amber Toven

Lexie Warncke

Kaci West

McKenzie Wilson

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