TESTED BY FIRE
3/20/2026 12:35:00 AM | Softball
Bears facing defending national champion Texas in split, two-game series
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
AUSTIN, Texas – On a bye week for conference play, Baylor softball coach Glenn Moore could have taken the easy way out and scheduled a team to "pad our stats and feel good about ourselves."
Instead, the Bears (20-7) will face second-ranked and defending national champion Texas (26-1) in a home-and-home series, playing at 6:30 p.m. Friday at McCombs Field and 6:30 p.m. Saturday before a sold-out crowd at Getterman Stadium.
"We have opportunities, basically in our own backyard with (Texas) A&M and Texas, to better ourselves and play good competition," Moore said. "You can't play too many of those non-conference games. But I think with this young team, we've had just about the right amount, to compete or maybe make a name for yourself or getting back into the conversation. I think you've got to take advantage of that."
The Longhorns hold a 43-25 edge in the all-time series and have won three in a row in Austin, while the Bears have won two of the last three meetings in Waco.
"We're young, so there's going to be some nerves," said sophomore pitcher Sadie Ross, who is 5-1 with a 2.36 ERA. "Honestly, just trying not to make the moment too big and trying to think of them as just another team, not looking at the name on the front of their jerseys."
Picked eighth out of 11 teams in the Big 12 coaches' preseason poll, Baylor has exceeded expectations by getting off to a 5-1 start in league play with a three-game sweep of Iowa State and winning two of three against a 22nd-ranked UCF team coming off a series win on the road.
"We went down there knowing they were playing really well, and we were going to have to play great ball to even take one from them," Moore said. "We maybe let one slip away on Friday, and I think the girls decided, 'Hey, we belong with these teams,' had a couple of team meetings and really got things rolling. We were happy with the overall outcome of the wedding."
The Longhorns tied a program record with their 24th-consecutive win, finishing off a sweep of Ole Miss with a 15-3, run-rule victory over the Rebels on Sunday. Texas hasn't lost since falling to ninth-ranked Nebraska, 8-5, on Feb. 7 in the UTSA Invitational and is 14-0 at home this year.
"It definitely doesn't take the pressure off," Ross said of playing Texas in a non-conference series. "We obviously want to beat Texas, and we're given the opportunity to play a top-ranked team. We're just going in full-force and ready to keep it going."
Hitting .301 as a team with 17 home runs, the Bears are led by Brooklyn Carter (.400), Karynton Dawson (.382), Amber Toven (.353) and Faith Piper (.333).
"If we just play well enough, our people will support us," Moore said. "I tell our kids all the time, let's win this crowd over. They want to see exciting softball. And if you do, they'll come out and support you, especially when the weather gets good."
Friday night's game will be streamed by the SEC Network, while ESPN= will stream the Saturday series finale.
Baylor Bear Insider
AUSTIN, Texas – On a bye week for conference play, Baylor softball coach Glenn Moore could have taken the easy way out and scheduled a team to "pad our stats and feel good about ourselves."
Instead, the Bears (20-7) will face second-ranked and defending national champion Texas (26-1) in a home-and-home series, playing at 6:30 p.m. Friday at McCombs Field and 6:30 p.m. Saturday before a sold-out crowd at Getterman Stadium.
"We have opportunities, basically in our own backyard with (Texas) A&M and Texas, to better ourselves and play good competition," Moore said. "You can't play too many of those non-conference games. But I think with this young team, we've had just about the right amount, to compete or maybe make a name for yourself or getting back into the conversation. I think you've got to take advantage of that."
The Longhorns hold a 43-25 edge in the all-time series and have won three in a row in Austin, while the Bears have won two of the last three meetings in Waco.
"We're young, so there's going to be some nerves," said sophomore pitcher Sadie Ross, who is 5-1 with a 2.36 ERA. "Honestly, just trying not to make the moment too big and trying to think of them as just another team, not looking at the name on the front of their jerseys."
Picked eighth out of 11 teams in the Big 12 coaches' preseason poll, Baylor has exceeded expectations by getting off to a 5-1 start in league play with a three-game sweep of Iowa State and winning two of three against a 22nd-ranked UCF team coming off a series win on the road.
"We went down there knowing they were playing really well, and we were going to have to play great ball to even take one from them," Moore said. "We maybe let one slip away on Friday, and I think the girls decided, 'Hey, we belong with these teams,' had a couple of team meetings and really got things rolling. We were happy with the overall outcome of the wedding."
The Longhorns tied a program record with their 24th-consecutive win, finishing off a sweep of Ole Miss with a 15-3, run-rule victory over the Rebels on Sunday. Texas hasn't lost since falling to ninth-ranked Nebraska, 8-5, on Feb. 7 in the UTSA Invitational and is 14-0 at home this year.
"It definitely doesn't take the pressure off," Ross said of playing Texas in a non-conference series. "We obviously want to beat Texas, and we're given the opportunity to play a top-ranked team. We're just going in full-force and ready to keep it going."
Hitting .301 as a team with 17 home runs, the Bears are led by Brooklyn Carter (.400), Karynton Dawson (.382), Amber Toven (.353) and Faith Piper (.333).
"If we just play well enough, our people will support us," Moore said. "I tell our kids all the time, let's win this crowd over. They want to see exciting softball. And if you do, they'll come out and support you, especially when the weather gets good."
Friday night's game will be streamed by the SEC Network, while ESPN= will stream the Saturday series finale.
Players Mentioned
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/ SoftballCoach Glenn Moore's 1,100 Career Post game speech
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