By Nathan Keil | Sports Writer
Baylor senior pitcher Kelsee Selman picked 5 1/3 shutout innings while striking out nine as the No. 14 Lady Bears took down visiting Sam Houston State 4-1 Tuesday night at Getterman Stadium.
Baylor head coach Glenn Moore credits Sam Houston State for competing at a high level against the Lady Bears and forcing them to improve heading into conference play.
“First of all, hats off to Sam Houston State,” Moore said. “Coach [Bob] Brock always brings a good team here, and they’re always competitive. It makes us better, and fortunately we were able to get the win.”
Selman improved to 13-2 on the season as she had all of her pitches working and consistently kept the Bearkats off balance with a mix of her fastball and changeup. She scattered just three hits and did not allow a walk.
Baylor head coach Glenn Moore said he was pleased with Selman’s improvement from the weekend.
“We were able to get some good work out of Selman, which we needed to get her tuned up,” Moore said. “She gave up three hits, but I thought she looked much better today than she looked over the weekend, which wasn’t bad. She just looked better today.”
Freshman pitcher Shelby McGlaun came in to pitch the final 1 2/3 innings to earn the save, her second on the season. McGlaun allowed two hits and a walk but gave a solo home run to left center to the first batter she faced, freshman infielder Tiffany Thompson.
The only other time Sam Houston State threatened Baylor was in the top of the fifth when the Bearkats got runners on the corners with nobody out. Selman responded by striking out the next three hitters, leaving two runners stranded.
The Baylor bats were not as active as they were over the weekend when they scored 23 runs in three games but they were good enough to get the win.
The Lady Bears opened with a run in the bottom of the first. Junior outfielder Jessie Scroggins led off the inning with a single. Sophomore outfielder Kyla Walker singled as well. Two batters later, junior infielder Shelby Friudenberg hit a sacrifice fly to score Scroggins.
Baylor tacked on two more runs in the fifth and once again it was Fruidenberg delivering the key hit. After senior infielder Riley Browder and Scroggins both singled, they successfully pulled off a double steal, putting them at second and third with one out. Fruidenberg then ripped a two run double to center, putting Baylor on top 3-0.
Friudenberg said she has become more willing to go the other way with the ball and that has helped her immensely at the plate.
“I’m kind of just taking it pitch-by-pitch. I feel like I’m seeing the ball really well,” Friudenberg said. “I’m trying to concentrate on going to right field more than pulling it and just getting on base instead of hitting home runs.”
After allowing the home run in the sixth, Baylor had the answer in the bottom half of the inning. Freshman infielder Taylor Ellis took advantage of an error by sophomore pitcher Lindsey McLeod. Junior infielder Caitlin Charlton doubled to center, putting two runners in scoring position. After a walk to Browder, Scroggins brought Ellis home on a groundout, giving Baylor a 4-1 lead heading to the seventh.
Baylor improves to 26-5 on the season as they prepare to open Big 12 play this weekend in Lawrence, Kan., against the Kansas Jayhawks.
Moore knows that the Lady Bears need to learn from their mistakes tonight, especially at the plate, in order to find success in Big 12 play.
“We were a little undisciplined today. As a coach, it gave me an opportunity to point some things out to our team that we really have to brush up on. Whether its lazy leads, not being in the right position for backups or being undisciplined batting, we just weren’t locked in tonight from a hitting stand point,” Moore said. “I don’t want to sound like it was a train wreck, but that’s the way we have to win in Big 12. Hopefully we can brush up on some things and be a better team this weekend.”
Game one of the series with the Jayhawks begins at 5 p.m. Friday.
