No. 22 Baylor Softball Takes Down No. 25 Oregon, Notre Dame in Doubleheader

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – No. 22 Baylor Softball took down No. 25 Oregon, 3-2, and Notre Dame, 10-9, Thursday night to open the Mary Nutter Classic with a doubleheader sweep.

THE RUNDOWN

McKenzie Wilson started the Bears off strong with a single up the middle to lead off the game. Although no runners came around to score in the top half of the inning, BU held Oregon scoreless in the bottom half of the frame.

Striking first, Emily Hott drew a leadoff walk in the top of the second, before Amber Toven singled and both advanced a base on a wild pitch. With two on and one out, Shannon Vivoda singled to centerfield scoring the Bears’ first run of the game. Ana Watson then walked to load the bases but that would be all for the Bears in the second.

Pitcher RyLee Crandall struck out two Ducks in the bottom of the second as she tossed her second consecutive scoreless frame.

Shaylon Govan and Hott each recorded hits in the top of the third, but the Bears would take the 1-0 lead into the bottom half of the inning where catcher Sydney Collazos would erase the only baserunner, throwing her out as she tried to steal second base.

Oregon tied the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the fourth when an error by the Bears plated a run.

Giving the Bears some much needed insurance in the top of the fifth, a bases-loaded single from Collazos plated two and the Bears took the 3-1 advantage.

Baylor carried their two-run lead into the bottom of the seventh, when a one-out double plated one run and the Ducks had the tying run on third. A pop-up to Crandall ended the threat as the Bears took game one.

Baylor started game two allowing the first runner to reach base, but Collazos threw the runner out trying to steal second to erase the threat.

Wilson picked up where she left off in game one, singling to start the second game and taking second base on an error. She advanced to third on a deep fly out off of Govan’s bat, before a single from Hott through the right-side brought home the Bears’ first run.

After a quick 1-2-3 inning for both sides in the second, Notre Dame took the 3-1 lead in the top of the third after the Bears walked in a run followed by a sacrifice fly and a single plated the next two runs.

The Bears responded quick in the bottom half of the inning, after a game-tying two-run blast from Govan knotted the game at 3-3.

Baylor was able to regain the lead in the bottom half of the fourth. Back-to-back singles from Vivoda and Leah Cran put two on for Presleigh Pilon who recorded a single for herself, allowing Vivoda to score after a Notre Dame throwing error.

With the 4-3 lead, the Bears retired the Fighting Irish in order in the fifth with Aliyah Binford picking up two strikeouts.

Binford doubled in the bottom half of the fifth and Govan recorded a walk, before Collazos was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but the Bears wouldn’t have any runs come across.

Baylor busted the game open in the bottom of the sixth when they posted a four-spot to take the 8-3 lead.

Taylor Strain got things started with a single through the left side, before Cran walked and Pilon laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Wilson continued her hot hitting streak, lacing a two-RBI double into left-center field. After stealing second, Wilson came home when Govan doubled down the left field line. Accounting for the last run of the inning, pinch runner Ana Watson scored after Hott reached on a fielding error by the Notre Dame shortstop.

The Fighting Irish wouldn’t go quietly, as they strung together six hits in the top of the seventh to plate six runs and regain the lead, 9-8. The Bears’ defense got out of the inning by turning a double play to stop the threat.

Down a run, Strain singled and Cran doubled to put two on with no one out in the bottom of the seventh. To tie the game, Pilon reached on an error, as Strain came home to score. Wanting to put this one away, Wilson reached base on a fielder’s choice that brought Cran home to score as the throw home was not in time, leaving the Bears with the 10-9 victory.

HIGHLIGHTS

• McKenzie Wilson totaled five hits over the two games with three RBIs and one double
• Shaylon Govan went 2-for-3 in game two with three RBIs, a double, a home run and a walk
• Govan’s home run was her first of the season
• Taylor Strain and Leah Cran each recorded two hits in game two
• Cran recorded her first career double
• Baylor totaled 14 hits against Notre Dame from nine different Bears
• Shannon Vivoda went 2-for-3 at the plate in game one with one RBI
• The Bears out-hit the Ducks 9-5
• RyLee Crandall improved to 3-0 on the season, striking out four and only allowing two earned runs
• Crandall pitched her first complete game of the season against Oregon
• Aliyah Binford is now 2-2 on the season, while striking out five
• Dariana Orme picked up her first start of the 2024 season
• Sydney Collazos has now thrown out the last six runners that have tried to steal a base on her

UP NEXT

The Bears will face UC Riverside Friday, Feb. 23, at 10:30 p.m. CT for day two of the Mary Nutter Classic.