Baylor Softball: Coaches and Players Gear Up for a Remarkable Season

Coming off of a solid 2023 season Baylor Softball is ranked No. 11 by Softball America and No. 16 by D1 Softball. Head Coach Glenn Moore, senior pitcher Dariana Orme and senior catcher/utility player Sydney Collazos met with the media to discuss the start of practices and the expectations that this team now has to contend with.

Moore on a challenging February schedule: 

He emphasized the importance of perspective, noting, "It's going to be a February to remember. And you can play very good ball in February and not have a very good record at the end of it." He underscored the need to focus on improvement and preparation for the season-opening series against No. 3 Tennessee in Waco.

Moore on managing expectations and surprising opponents:

He embraces the target on the team's back, stating, “Isn't that where you want to be?" He expressed confidence in the team's readiness for the demanding schedule and emphasized the positive impact of returning players and offensive improvements, stating, "This team's ready for that type of schedule. And I think our offense is going to be better this year."

Senior Pitcher Dariana Orme is also full of confidence: 

She linked her readiness to the team's overall preparedness. Reflecting on her injury setback, Orme maintains a resilient perspective, stating, "It hurt in the moment, but there's a reason for me going down." She went on to point to time to train in ways she hadn’t been able to and finding God’s plan for her in all of it. She also emphasized the team's camaraderie, the joyous approach to the sport, and the determination to savor every moment, even as the team transitions from the enjoyment of sneaking up on opponents to being a recognized force.

Senior Catcher and Utility player Sydney Collazos reinforced the team's resilience: 

She downplayed the significance of rankings, stating, "Whether we're on the rankings or not, we know what kind of talent we have and what kind of chemistry we have." Collazos shared her aspiration for the "jet" award, showcasing her speed and expressing eagerness for a chance to play in the outfield. The award is given to players who record 20 or more stolen bases, infield hits and triples combined. The player must also run under 2.8 seconds (I’m assuming from home to first). Collazos proudly stated that she ran a 2.797 and the strength coach would verify it. 

While the exchange had a fun, joking tenor, the competitive spirit in Collazos should not be underestimated. That spirit seems to be present throughout the team as they get practices started for the 2024 season.