By Ben Everett | Sports Writer
No. 16-ranked Baylor softball ended its three game losing skid with an 8-5 win over Abilene Christian Wednesday night in Abilene.
The Lady Bears (21-9) rode a strong performance from junior starting pitcher Regan Green to take the win over the Wildcats (12-18).
In the top of the first inning, junior left fielder Kyla Walker reached second base after a single and a stolen base. After senior center fielder Jessie Scroggins walked to first, senior catcher Carlee Wallace singled up the middle to score Walker and give the Lady Bears a 1-0 lead.
Later in the inning, the Lady Bears executed a double steal, where Wallace stole second and Scroggins stole home to extend Baylor’s lead to 2-0.
Abilene Christian junior outfielder Donelle Johnson smashed a solo homer in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 2-1.
Sophomore right fielder Maddison Kettler reached first on an error in the top of the second inning, and scored on an RBI single from Walker to give Baylor a 3-1 lead.
The Wildcats mounted a comeback in the bottom of the third. With two on, senior infielder Holly Neese hit a two-run single to centerfield to tie the game up at 3-3.
The Lady Bears responded in the top of the fourth as senior third baseman Caitlin Charlton crushed a solo homer to give Baylor a 4-3 lead.
In the top of the fifth inning, sophomore designated player Goose McGlaun hit a homer over the scoreboard to extend Baylor’s lead to 5-3.
The Lady Bears blew the game open in the top of the sixth with Walker notching her second RBI of the evening to give Baylor a three-run cushion.
Later in the inning, Scroggins stole second and Walker scored on an error and Wallace drove Scroggins home with an RBI single to right field to make it an 8-3 game.
McGlaun took the mound to replace in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Green finished with five innings pitched and five strikeouts with just four hits surrendered in her sixth win of the season.
An RBI groundout and an RBI single from ACU sparked a rally in the bottom of the seventh, but McGlaun snatched the final out to give Baylor the 8-5 win.
Walker and Wallace each finished with two RBIs and three hits at the plate in the win.
The Lady Bears face Texas Tech in a weekend road series starting at 6 p.m. Friday in Lubbock.
