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Baylor Softball

No. 20 Baylor Softball Sweeps No. 5 Texas with 2-1 Walk-Off

May 8, 2023
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WACO, Texas - No. 20 Baylor Softball finishes off a three-game series sweep of No. 5 Texas with a 2-1 walk-off win Sunday afternoon at Getterman Stadium.

The Bears, now 39-15 on the season and 8-10 in conference play, pick up their sixth win over a top-5 team this season, three of them coming at home.

Baylor walked off its third opponent of the season, when Zadie LaValley reached on an error and brought home the game-winning runs. This marks the Bears’ first sweep of the Longhorns since 2018 and their first conference sweep since facing Kansas in 2021.


THE RUNDOWN

The Bears’ defense was on lock in the series finale, with RyLee Crandall going the distance and tossing six scoreless frames, which started with a three-up, three-down top of the first.

BU notched its first hit of the game in the bottom of the second inning, when senior Josie Bower recorded an infield single to second base. A sacrifice bunt from Amber Toven moved Bower to second, but that would be as far as the Bears got in the inning.

Texas got a runner on in the top of the third, but after a stolen base, catcher Zadie LaValley picked her off at second base to end the inning.

LaValley then singled to lead off the bottom half of the third inning, but that would be all for the Bears.

After a quiet fourth inning for both teams, UT singled to lead off the fifth, but a throw from McKenzie Wilson in center field caught the runner trying to take second base.

Toven singled and stole second in the bottom half of the fifth inning, but BU couldn’t bring any runs home.

UT strung together two hits in the top of the sixth to take its only lead of the series, but the Bears stifled a runner at third base to keep any more runs from scoring.

Sitting the Longhorns down in order in the top of the seventh inning, Baylor was down to its last chance to win the ballgame on Senior Day when the Bears’ only senior, Bower, got the rally started with a double to right-center field. Toven was then walked before Ana Watson singled to put two on for LaValley. The junior catcher then reached on an error that bounced just fair over first base and brought home two runs for the Bears’ walk-off win.


HIGHLIGHTS

BU secures its third walk-off win of the season

This marks the Bears’ first sweep over the Longhorns since 2018

Baylor recorded its first conference sweep since the Kansas series in 2021

This is the first time in program history the Bears have swept a top-5 opponent

This is the Bears’ first season in Baylor history with six top-5 wins

Josie Bower notched two hits on Senior Day, including a double

Zadie LaValley recorded one hit, but reached on the game-ending error for the walk off

RyLee Crandall pitched a seven-inning complete-game, striking out three and only allowing one run

Baylor will finish the regular season as the No. 4 team in the Big 12


QUOTABLE

Head coach Glenn Moore on the game: “Just so proud of these girls. To take on the No. 5 team in the country, without your ace in the circle, and RyLee and Kaci and the defense step it up and get these wins, no one would have bet on us this weekend. But it shows what kind of heart these girls have and what kind of talent we have. We’re a pretty talented team, too.”

Senior Josie Bower on her senior day: “Yes. Very special. (It was) incredible. Words can't describe what that was like. That was, I think, the craziest game I've ever been a part of. So, I'm really blessed. If that was my last game at Getterman, I'll be pleased.”

Freshman RyLee Crandall on the finish of the game: “I have unfortunately, but it went the other way. It’s nice to play for someone like Coach Moore and Coach Newman and Coach Hoot who bring girls in who are going to represent this program in the best way possible. We pick up and support each other, and that’s why you can win games like this because you play for one another and not yourself.”


WHAT’S NEXT

The Bears will venture north to Oklahoma City, Okla., for the Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship. As the tournament’s No. 4 seed, the Bears will face No. 5 seed Iowa State at 12 p.m. CT Thursday, May 11, at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. The Baylor-Iowa State winner advances to face No. 1 seed Oklahoma in the semifinals at 1 p.m. CT Friday, May 12.

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No. 20 Baylor Softball Sweeps No. 5 Texas with 2-1 Walk-Off

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