Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor
Reporter
The No. 16 Lady Bears softball team defeated Texas State 7-3 after pulling through a ten-inning game at Bobcat Field in San Marcos. This is Baylor’s second win over the Bobcats this season.
“While you might hope for an easier win, if I were to draw up the game to get us prepared for Oklahoma State, it would look like that,” head coach Glenn Moore said. “Texas State challenged us in every facet of the game and made us work hard for everything.”
This victory advanced Baylor’s record to 30-10 while taking the Bobcats down 9-29. This ended the losing streak Baylor experienced last week at No. 1 Oklahoma, while also putting an end to the Bobcats’ two-game winning streak.
Baylor started the game strong by scoring in the first inning. The run was made by senior center field Kathy Shelton, who was first up to bat. She first advanced on a walk and was able to make her way home due a hit from junior first baseman Holly Holl that made its way into foul territory.
Holl went 3-4 with one home run and tied her career-high with four RBIs.
The game continued with Baylor leading by one run until the sixth inning. At the bottom of the sixth inning, Texas State managed to get one run home off of junior left-handed pitcher Whitney Canion, who is now 16-6 on the season. This was the only earned run Canion allowed. Though it lead to Bobcat first baseman Haley Lemons’ score, Canion went nine innings, gave up six hits, walked nine batters and struck out 10.
Neither team scored in the seventh inning, resulting in extra innings. Junior catcher Clare Hosack was placed at second to start the eighth inning. Again, neither team scored.
Holl then earned Baylor the lead in the ninth with a two-run blast in the top of the inning. This was her third home run of the year, and it gave the Lady Bears a 3-1 lead.
However, the Bobcats came back during the bottom of the ninth inning. During this time, the runners were at second and third with one out. Canion allowed a grounder to short, which allowed a pair of runs to score, tying the game.
At the top of the tenth, two walks loaded the bases for the Bobcats. Canion was able to pitch out of the jam to keep the inning tied.
Later in the inning, Baylor was able to get its offense going. Sophomore infielder Jordan Strickland hit a two-run homer. Sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Thumann and Holl both hit doubles to drive more runs home, and the Lady Bears took the 7-3 victory.
The Lady Bears will return to conference play against Oklahoma State at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Getterman Stadium.
