SB Set for Weekend Series Against UCF

BAYLOR (22-18, 5-13 Big 12) vs UCF (26-15, 10-8 Big 12)

Friday, April 19 • vs UCF • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+ • Radio: 104.9 FM
Saturday, April 20 • vs UCF • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+ • Radio: 104.9 FM
Sunday, April 21 • vs UCF • Waco, Texas • Getterman Stadium • Watch: Big 12 Now ESPN+ • Radio: 104.9 FM

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

Trying to snap a four-game losing streak and get back on track in conference play, Baylor softball (22-18, 5-13) will host a hot UCF team (26-15, 10-8) in a weekend series that begins with a 6:30 p.m. game Friday at Getterman Stadium.

Baylor coach Glenn Moore said it's not an effort thing, it's just "the outcomes have not been what we wanted."

"Obviously, (results are) what everybody looks at, and that's what gets you in the postseason," Moore said. "We hit over .500 in the last three games in positive plate appearance and barreling up balls. When you're hitting line drives right to people, you can't make a lot of adjustments. You've just got to hope you don't let the outcomes send you in a spiral."

After losing the opener of a series against top-ranked Texas, 14-1, the Bears bounced back with a combined 19 hits and were much more competitive in 9-6 and 9-5 losses to the Longhorns in Austin.

"If we do what we did against Texas on Saturday and Sunday, we play at that level, I think we'll be happy when the season comes to an end," Moore said. "We know what's at stake. We've just got to go out and execute. The percentages, as I've preached all year, will fall in our favor."

Part of the issue with the Bears has been "fatigue arms" with starting pitchers Aliyah Binford (6-9, 3.73) and RyLee Crandall (11-7, 2.89). With projected ace Dariana Orme making only three appearances early in the season, Binford and Crandall have combined for 32 starts and have pitched over 76% of the team's innings.

"We really just have to figure out how to get healthy, to be quite honest with you," Moore said. "Not a true healthy pitcher in our bullpen, they're pushing through it. We've tried to get them more rest this week than usual, and hopefully that will pay off."

Crandall, in particular, has struggled lately.

"I think there's some fatigue involved," Moore said. "Certainly, if you've got two more arms available, then you're spreading out the pitching. There's probably some fatigue there. We've given her some rest this week, and we'll give her most of today off as well. Hopefully, she'll regain and recover from that. I don't think it's a pain anymore, although she's dealt with some of that. I think she's got that under control. So, I really think it's just wear and tear."

UCF has won 10 in a row and 12 of its last 14 after a seven-game losing streak that included getting swept by Oklahoma State and Texas. The Golden Knights are fourth in the league with a 2.89 ERA and fifth in hitting with a .318 batting average.

"They're a team playing with a lot of momentum," Moore said. "Having a great year for their first year in the Big 12. Coach (Cindy Ball-Malone) has done a great job. Certainly a team that, health-wise, we compare a lot to. I think we're at a disadvantage without everybody healthy, obviously, but I think we can match up in a lot of areas. Being here at Getterman, hopefully that will give us a level playing field with them."

Senior outfielder Taylor Strain said the team is "just sticking together and trusting our work ethic and just knowing that we're good ballplayers, and at one point, it'll fall our way."

"I think just understanding that we don't want to look back at the end of this year and think what could've been," she said. "Just have no regrets."

All three games, including Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 12 noon, will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

STORY LINES
• Baylor Softball readies for a three-game conference series against UCF Friday-Sunday, April 19-21, at Getterman Stadium.
• Baylor holds the all-time record over the Knights 6-2. The Bears last faced UCF during the 2017 season when they won the three-game series two games to one.
• After winning two-straight conference series against Iowa State and Texas Tech, Baylor fell in all three games against No. 1 Texas last weekend.
• The Bears snapped a 15-game nonconference win-streak when they fell against No. 23 Texas State, 6-1, in San Marcos. They are now 17-5 in nonconference games this season after falling against UT Arlington last Tuesday, 4-3.
• Fifteen of Baylor's losses this season have come against teams ranked or receiving votes in polls at some point in the season.
• 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 still receiving votes in ESPN/USA Softball poll.
• The Bears have already faced nine ranked teams this season: No. 2 Tennessee, No. 23 Louisiana, No. 25 Oregon, No. 19 UCLA, No. 13 Missouri, No. 7 Oklahoma State, No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 23 Texas State and No. 1 Texas. Last weekend marked the second time this season the Bears have faced the No.1 ranked team in a three-game series.
• Baylor is currently ranked No. 25 in the RPI standings.
• RyLee Crandall is leading the way in the circle this season with a 11-7 record, with 26 appearances and a 2.89 ERA. She has 86 total strikeouts and is third in conference only stats with 50 conference strikeouts.
• Crandall has also picked up the Bears' only weekly Big 12 award so far this season, as she won Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors for BU's win over No. 7 Oklahoma State, where she pitched a one-hit complete-game shutout. The sophomore was one hit away from a perfect game, effectively retiring 21 of 22 at bats.
• Aliyah Binford has a team-leading 102 strikeouts and holds a 6-9 record. She is currently ranked No.1 in the Big 12 in strikeouts.
• Shaylon Govan leads the Bears with a .453 average, 43 hits, seven doubles and four home runs. Her batting average is first in the Big 12 and 13th nationally, while her on base percentage is ranks first nationally. With her .595 on base percentage, Govan is ranked 9th in the country in walks per game and has been walked 33 times so far this season.
• Kaci West has three saves on the season, which ties for first in the Big 12.
• Sixteen different Bears have recorded a hit so far this season, with Govan leading the way with 43, followed by Emily Hott with 40. There are 12 Bears with double-digit hits on the season.
• Head coach Glenn Moore hit his 1,000th career win last season, when the Bears took down UT Arlington on March 23, 2023. He hit his 900th win at Baylor this season after taking down UTSA, 2-1, on April 9, 2024.

-BaylorBears.com-

SB Set for Weekend Series Against UCF

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Players Mentioned

Aliyah Binford

Josie Bower

Leah Cran

RyLee Crandall

Shaylon Govan

Emily Hott

Paige King

Dariana Orme

Taylor Strain

Lexie Warncke

Kaci West

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