Baylor Softball Sweeps Prairie View A&M in Midweek Doubleheader
WACO, Texas – Baylor softball picked up a midweek doubleheader sweep of Prairie View A&M Tuesday at Getterman Stadium, making history with the first perfect game in program history.
Game 1: Baylor 9, Prairie View A&M 0
Freshman Kaci West pitched the first perfect game in softball history.
In the five-inning run-rule, Baylor got things started offensively when leadoff batter Emily Hott reached on an error and stole second before a single from McKenzie Wilson plated her for the first run of the game. The Bears got three more runs across in the inning on a single from Sydney Collazos, a wild pitch and a groundout.
After a three-up, three-down inning for the Panthers in the top of the second, the Bears tacked on two more runs after an RBI groundout from Wilson and a double from Collazos. That gives Collazos a team-high five doubles for the season.
Both teams went scoreless in the third inning with West picking up another strikeout.
Sealing the deal for the eight-run run rule, Baylor scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the 9-0 lead. Those runs came on a single from Hott and a two-RBI double down the left field line from Taylor Strain.
West closed it out in the top of the fifth, getting a little help from the defense for the last three outs.
This marked the first perfect game in Baylor softball history and the second complete game for the freshman.
Game 2: Baylor 3, Prairie View A&M 2
In a slower start to the second game, the Bears held Prairie View scoreless through three innings while taking the 2-0 lead.
Kendall Cross hit her second triple of the year, scoring Caroline Rowatt after the freshman reached on a single. Cross scored on the next play on a sacrifice fly from Campbell Selman.
After a scoreless third, the Panthers plated a run in the top of the fourth on a RBI single to right field.
In the fifth inning, Wilson singled, stole second and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on Strain’s second hit of the game.
Prairie View A&M threatened again in the top of the sixth, plating a run, before Rachel Hertenberger entered the circle and struck out a batter before a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning.
A 1-2-3 inning for the Panthers in the top of the seventh was enough for the Bears to take the 3-2 win and secure the doubleheader midweek sweep.
HIGHLIGHTS
First perfect game in program history
Kaci West’s second complete game of the season, picking up her third win
Rachel Hertenberger recorded her first save
Maren Judisch picked up her first win of the season in the circle
The Bears outhit the Panthers 11-0 in game one
16 different Bears started in the two games today
Sydney Collazos picks up her fifth double of the season, to lead the Bears
McKenzie Wilson has recorded a hit in 10-straight games
TOP QUOTES
Glenn Moore on the game…
“A lot of credit goes to her, of course, and I certainly am proud of her for the fact that she made history tonight. No one deserves it any more than Kaci West. If it’s a perfect game with all strikeouts, then she gets all the credit, but we had a defense that played really well behind her and she would be the first to acknowledge that. Pitch calling came from Coach (Britni) Newman, I had very little to do with that perfect game. I’m very proud of the team and I’m very proud of Kaci for getting to make history tonight.”
Kaci West on the perfect game…
“Honestly, I am speechless about it actually. It’s awesome. So funny story about that, I was sitting there joking with our athletic trainer before, and I felt good at warmups, and I said ‘You know, I’m going to go out there and throw a perfect game,’ not knowing that it was actually going to happen”