No. 19 Baylor Softball Closes Out Aggie Classic with a Win

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 19 Baylor Softball ended the Aggie Classic with a 8-2 victory over Villanova after falling against Utah State in game one 6-4 on Saturday afternoon at Davis Diamond.

THE RUNDOWN

GAME ONE

The Bears got the scoring started early in the first game of the day, bringing a run home in each of the first three innings.

Presleigh Pilon scored in the top of the first after a single in her first at bat of the game and the Bears were able to load the bases, but a groundout ended the Bears’ threat with just one run across.

The Utah State Aggies took the 4-1 lead in the bottom half of the first plating four runs on three hits and one Baylor error.

Baylor cut the Aggies lead in half in the top of the second when Ashyln Wachtendorf scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Turiya Coleman, but Utah State got the run back in the bottom half of the inning.

Karynton Dawson recorded the Bears’ first triple of the season to lead off the third inning before Amber Toven brought her home with a sacrifice fly, but the Bears still trailed 5-3.

After quiet innings from both team in the fourth and fifth innings, Baylor cut Utah State’s lead to just one run in the top of the sixth when Brooklyn Carter singled to bring home pinch-runner Caroline Rowatt.

The Aggies got a run back in the bottom half of the sixth and Baylor wasn’t able to overcome the deficit in the seventh inning, falling 6-4.

GAME TWO

Baylor got behind early in game two of the day, when Villanova hit a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the first and then a single with two on brought home the second run.

With the 2-0 deficit, Baylor pitcher Lillie Walker sat the Wildcats down in order picking up two strikeouts.

Baylor took the 6-2 lead in the top of the third when Gigi Lindsey kicked off the innings with a single up the middle for her first collegiate at bat. After stealing second, Lindsey advanced to third on a infield single from Carter. With two on, Pilon lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to make it a 2-1 ballgame. In the next at bat, Dawson reached on a fielder’s choice where everyone was safe to leave two on for Coleman who singled up the middle and gave Baylor the 3-2 lead.

With its first lead of the day, BU’s Toven doubled to centerfield brining home Coleman before freshman Faith Piper singled. Flores notched a two-RBI single to centerfield clearing both runners from the bases and pushing Baylor to the 6-2 lead.

The Bears were able to sit Villanova down in order in the third and fourth innings, before allowing a couple of base runners in the bottom of the fifth bu the Bears worked out of the jam.

In the sixth inning, Savanna Pogue singled in her first collegiate at bat to put one on for Carter who homered to right-centerfield to put the Bears on top 8-2.

The Bears threatened again in the top of the seventh, but a 1-2-3 bottom half of the inning gave Baylor the 8-2 win.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Bears recorded nine hits against Utah State
• Brooklyn Carter went 3-for-4 in game one with an RBI and a double
• Turiya Coleman and Karynton Dawson both had multi-hit outings in game one
• Dawson hit the Bears’ first triple of the season against Utah State
• Sadie Ross pitched her first complete game
• BU out hit Villanova 11-3 in game two
• Three Bears recorded multi-hit outings in game two
• Brooklyn Carter hit her first career home run against Villanova
• 14 different Bears saw playing time against the Wildcats
• Freshmen Gigi Lindsey and Savanna Pogue recorded their first-career hits
• Lillie Walker pitched 6.2 innings allowing only one hit, while striking out five
• Carter, Dawson and Flores each had two RBIs against Villanova

UP NEXT

The Bears will return home to host the Getterman Classic Feb. 14-16 which will feature games between Oklahoma and Hofstra.