Softball shuts out Prairie View A&M to stay alive in NCAA Tournament

Junior Gia Rodoni works quickly in Baylor's 5-0 loss to Oklahoma on March 29. Baylee VerSteeg | Multimedia Journalist

By Nathan Keil | Sports Editor

Baylor softball bounced back to stave off elimination and keep its season alive Saturday afternoon at Davis Diamond in College Station.

The Lady Bears scored in each of the first four innings and rode a solid performance from junior Regan Green in the circle, in eliminating Prairie View A&M with a 9-0 victory in five innings.

Green, after not making it out of the first inning yesterday against McNeese State, was much sharper, scattering five hits over five innings, while not allowing a walk and striking out four.

Offensively, Baylor got going earlier as well. Baylor scored two in the first, one in the second and third and broke it open with five runs in the fourth.

Junior outfielder Kyla Walker opened the game with a single. Sophomore second baseman Nicky Dawson was then hit by a pitch. Senior outfielder Jessie Scroggins singled to load the bases and senior first baseman Shelby Friudenberg put Baylor on top 1-0.

A wild pitch allowed Dawson to come in and score, putting the Lady Bears up 2-0 after one.

Baylor added another run on a wild pitch in the second and sophomore outfielder Madi O’Neal put Baylor up 4-0 with an RBI single in the third.

With one out in the fourth, Dawson singled to begin the rally. Scroggins then drilled an RBI double to the wall in right field, scoring Dawson for a 5-0 lead.

Friudenberg extended the lead, scoring Scroggins with an RBI single to center. Sophomore third baseman Goose McGlaun then drilled an RBI double down the right field, putting Baylor up 7-0.

Then with two outs, freshman catcher Hannah Thompson delivered a two-run single to left-center, as the Lady Bears grabbed a 9-0 lead.

Prairie View put two runners on in the fifth, trying to extend the game, but Green got a groundout to end the game.

Baylor (37-17) will take on McNeese State at 6:40 p.m. tonight in another elimination game.