No. 22 Baylor Softball Run Rules UC Riverside, 8-0
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – No. 22 Baylor Softball run ruled UC Riverside, 8-0, in five innings Friday night at Big League Dreams ballpark.
THE RUNDOWN
The Bears started off with a bang in the late-night matchup against UC Riverside, plating seven of their eight runs in the first frame.
To kick things off, McKenzie Wilson drew a leadoff walk, before a one-out double from Shaylon Govan put runners on second and third. With runners in scoring position, Emily Hott hit into a fielder’s choice but the throw home was not in time and Hott worked out of a pickle taking second to give Govan time to dive home as well.
With two runs already across, Shannon VIvoda laced a double down the left-field line to bring home Hott from second and give the Bears the 3-0 advantage. After advancing to third on a passed ball, Taylor Strain was issued a walk and stole second to put runners in scoring position again. A wild pitch brought home the Bears’ fourth run of the first inning.
Kaci West then walked with two outs, to put runners on the corners for Presleigh Pilon who brought home another run with a RBI double down the right-field line. Back to the top of the lineup, Wilson recorded a single and advanced to second on the throw that brought home two more Bears and put BU up, 7-0.
After allowing a single in the bottom half of the first inning, West struck out two to retire the Highlanders and keep them off the board.
After a quiet second inning, Strain doubled to lead off the third but that would be it for the Bears who maintained the 7-0 lead.
Baylor scored its eighth and final run in the top of the fifth inning, after Shannon Vivoda singled to center field and made it to third after an error sent the ball to the fence. With a runner on third, Strain singled and advanced to second as Vivoda came home to put the Bears up 8-0.
The Bears walked the first batter in the bottom of the fifth but that would be it for the Highlanders as BU sat the next three batters down in order to secure the 8-0 run-rule victory.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Shannon VIvoda went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and an RBI
- Taylor Strain went 2-for-2 at the plate scoring a run and recording a double
- Kaci West pitched 3.0 innings allowing three hits, while striking out three in the combined shutout
- Lexie Warncke pitched 2.0 innings, not allowing a hit or a run
- Five different Bears recorded a hit
- Four different Bears recorded a double
- 17 of BU’s 24 players saw playing time against UCR
- This is the Bears’ first run-rule victory of the season
UP NEXT
The Bears will close out the Mary Nutter Classic with matchups against No. 19 UCLA at 7:30 p.m. CT and No. 13 Missouri at 10 p.m. CT on Saturday, Feb. 24.