Thursday, April 24 • vs BYU • Waco, Texas | Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: ESPN+
Friday, April 25 • vs BYU • Waco, Texas | Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: ESPN+
Saturday, April 26 • vs BYU • Waco, Texas | Getterman Stadium • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: ESPN+
 
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
 
WACO, Texas – Climbing out of a deep, deep hole by winning 10 of its last 13 games, Baylor softball (23-23, 8-10) takes some momentum into a closing stretch that includes a three-game series at home against BYU (29-12, 11-7) and a series next weekend at Iowa State (26-19, 11-7).
 
But nothing's really changed for Glenn Moore and the Bears. In the words of former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, "Just win, baby!"
 
"We've got to win," said Moore, whose team is 54^th in the latest RPI rankings, one spot below Iowa State and eight behind BYU at 46. "Every game has got to be like it's our last. It's that important. Six more games left, and we've got to show up every time and play like we did tonight (in Tuesday's 6-0 win over Texas State)."
 
The series with BYU begins with games at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday at Getterman Stadium and wraps up with a 1 p.m. series finale on Saturday, when Baylor's 11 seniors will be recognized.
 
That group includes first baseman Shaylon Govan, a first-team All-American who broke the program record with her 134^th career walk in the first inning against Texas State.
 
"I just knew I wanted to come here and make an impact," said Govan, who transferred from SFA three years ago. "I didn't know it would end up with history, but it's great. . . . I say that because of all the training that I do. I just reap the benefits of it."
 
Govan (.389, six homers, 24 RBIS) is the headliner of a talented group of seniors that includes three other starters in second baseman Presleigh Pilon, right fielder Ashlyn Wachtendorf and third baseman Turiya Coleman (.388), a Houston transfer. No. 1 pitcher Lillie Walker (9-7, 2.60 ERA), a Duke transfer, is joined by infielder Emry McDonough, utility player Shannon Vivoda, outfielder Caroline Rowatt, catcher Carson Frier and pitchers Ava Knoll and Dariana Orme.
 
"Making postseason is pretty much my ultimate goal," Govan said. "We're a team filled with seniors, so we want to finish strong. We want to give the underclassmen a little experience in that environment. We're trying to do it for the whole team here and just be able to play Baylor softball."
 
A preseason top-20 team, Baylor looked like a longshot to make its 17^th NCAA regional appearance when the Bears fell to 13-20 on March 25 with a 6-2 loss at home to UTA. But turning it around, BU is 13-3 over the last month, including a 12-3 run-rule victory at Arizona State last Saturday after dropping the first two games to the Sun Devils.
 
"I thought we let one slip away on Friday (4-2 loss) and was really worried about our ability to win one after going 0-2." Moore said. "Not only did we win it, we pretty much dominated that game. I think we'll gain a lot of confidence from that one and this game. Texas State is a worthy opponent that everyone respects. The momentum is there, and we need to ride it as long as we can and even build on it."
 
Needing one walk to break Brette Reagan's school record, Govan got it with a six-pitch walk in the first inning and scored on freshman Karynton Dawson's two-run triple. The Bears scored three runs in the first and tacked on three more in the second on a Faith Piper triple, a double by Pilon and Brooklyn Carter's bunt single.
 
Freshman pitcher Sadie Ross (4-6, 3.76) threw two hitless innings of relief versus Texas State, continuing an impressive stretch that has seen her not allow an earned run in her last four appearances. She picked up the win in Saturday's game against Arizona State, giving up no runs on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.
 
"To see Sadie come on strong the way she did in Arizona, two great games and her best outing of the year," Moore said. "And to close up tonight, not a lot of pressure with a six-run lead, but to still go in and pound the zone a little bit with some confidence. Every time you can get her in the circle and get her some success, I think it's one step closer to having a staff that can compete in championship play or the postseason, if we get there."
 
All three games this weekend will be streamed on ESPN+.


STORY LINES
• Baylor Softball is preparing for its last home series of the season as they host BYU for a three-game conference series. 
• It is senior weekend for the Bears and they will honor 11 seniors in a postgame celebration on Saturday, April 26. The senior recognition will include: Emry McDonough, Ava Knoll, Ashlyn Wachtendorf, Shaylon Govan, Lillie Walker, Presleigh Pilon, Dariana Orme, Shannon Vivoda, Caroline Rowatt, Carson Frier and Turiya Coleman.
• After a midweek win over Texas State, BU is now 15-13 this season in non-conference matchups and the Bears are back at .500 on the season with a 23-23 overall record. 
• The Bears hold the 8-1 all-time record over BYU, but the two teams have never met in Waco. Baylor last faced off against the Cougars during the 2024 season when they swept BYU in a three-game series in Provo. 
• During the 2025 season, the team is competing with a veteran squad that consists of 12 seniors and 15 upperclassmen.
• After ending the 2024 campaign back in a Super Regional for the first time since 2017, the Bears returned 15 off of the 2024 squad, while adding four transfers and seven freshmen. 
• The Bears four transfers include Brooklyn Carter (Washington), Turiya Coleman (Houston), Carson Frier (UCF) and Lillie Walker (Duke). Coleman and Frier add depth to the Bears infield/catching position, while Carter adds speed to the outfield and Walker tosses left-handed in the circle. 
• The Bears faced nine opponents so far this season who were either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason/weekly ESPN poll for a total of 14 games. Those teams include: No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 6 UCLA, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 13 Arkansas, No. 15 Missouri, No. 16 Nebraska, No. 1 Texas, No. 12 Texas Tech and No. 13 Oklahoma State. Thirteen of Baylor's 23 losses on the season have come against opponents ranked in the Top 25. 
• Shaylon Govan leads the Bears offensively with a .389 average this season, only missing four opening weekend games due to a class conflict. She has a team-leading six home runs, five doubles and 24 RBIs. 
• Picking up the Bears' first Big 12 Player of the Week honor, Govan hit .571 in the series against Houston and pushed her on base streak to 18-straight games, a streak that ended with 19-straight. 
• Lillie Walker leads the Bears in the circle with 77 strikeouts with 31 appearances. Walker currently stands in the top five of the Big 12 stats in wins, strikeouts, innings pitched, games started and complete games. 
• Leading Baylor during last week's three-game series against Arizona State in the circle was Sadie Ross who made three appearances, picked up a win and totaled a 0.00 ERA while allowing seven hits and only one run while striking out six. 
• Presleigh Pilon was on fire against the Sun Devils, hitting .600 with six hits and three doubles. Her .750 on base percentage also led the Bears. 
• Defensively, Pilon is ranked second nationally in assists so far this season with 125, while Amber Toven follows with 99. Those two together have helped contribute to the Bears' 26 double plays so far this season which ranks them tied for 9th nationally. 
• Shaylon Govan is not Baylor's all-time leader in career walks with 134 after drawing in a walk in the first inning of the Bears' 6-0 midweek win over Texas State. 
• As Baylor's unanimous First-Team All-American last season, Govan, is currently in 13th place nationally in on base percentage (.569) after leading the nation in that category last season. 
• Head coach Glenn Moore is in his 25th season at the helm of the Baylor Softball program. In a quarter of a century, Moore is Baylor Athletics' active all-time wins leader across all sports. He has progressed up the active NCAA coaching ranks, now ranking No. 17 in total victories among active Division I head coaches.