By DJ Ramirez | Sports Editor
In Baylor’s first home game back since the cancellation of the 2020 season, the Lady Bears made quick work of UT Arlington, taking down the Mavericks 6-1 Wednesday night at Getterman Stadium.
Baylor recorded five hits to start the game before a single graced the score card, putting up a triple, a home run, two doubles and another home run before sophomore outfielder Josie Bower singled in the bottom of the sixth. Bower recorded her second-straight multi-hit game, fourth of her career, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a single and her sixth career double.
Senior righty Gia Rodoni shut down UTA, allowing only four hits and a run while striking out four over five innings of work before giving way to freshman Maren Judisch. Junior righty Sydney Holman-Mansell closed out the seventh with a scoreless outing and a strike out.
The Lady Bears kicked things off with a bang as sophomore outfielder Lou Gilbert lasered a triple off the right field wall and proceeded to score on sacrifice bunt. Freshman utility player Emily Hott then added to Baylor’s lead with her first career home run in the bottom of the third. Head coach Glenn Moore said he thinks Baylor’s lineup could cause a lot of damage this season.
“I told the girls one of the most important at-bats of the game is the leadoff at-bat,” Moore said. “Usually, we have a slapper in that spot, but we wanted to send a big message with the first at-bat. If you hit a ball hard, you can create a lot of doubt in the pitcher. It can make them doubt themselves if they start off the game with a triple. I’d love to piggyback off of that and hit more home runs … Emily Hott turned the lineup over with a home run. I think we could be pretty dangerous this season with how dangerous this lineup is.”
The Mavericks managed to get on the board in the top of the fourth, but the Lady Bears were quick to reciprocate as senior first baseman Goose McGlaun doubled to start the frame. Bower followed with her own double to score McGlaun,
Baylor plated three more runs in the sixth starting with McGlaun’s 30th-career homer, the first one at Getterman since March 20, 2019 against Central Arkansas. Later in the frame, with two outs and runners on the corners, junior catcher Hannah Thompson laced a double to the center field wall to ice the win.
Baylor will be back on the field this weekend hosting UConn, Ole Miss, Lamar and No. 25 Mississippi State for the Lone Star State Classic.
