By Will Chamblee | Sports Writer
Baylor softball made quick work of Sam Houston State on Wednesday, as the Bears crushed the Bearkats 8-0 in a run-rule victory at Getterman Stadium to complete the season sweep.
Baylor played Sam Houston State earlier this season, when they won 7-3 in Huntsville. It was more of the same for the Bears, as junior pitcher Sydney Mansell only allowed two hits in 4.2 innings of work, shutting down the Bearkats for her seventh win of the season.
“I thought our offense was phenomenal,” Baylor head coach Glenn Moore said. “It was nice to get some momentum back in our favor headed into our third Big 12 weekend.”
Baylor got the party started in the first after Mansell sent the top of Sam Houston States’ order packing in the top half of the inning. With runners on first and third, freshman shortstop Aliyah Binford hit a deep fly ball to left field that scored sophomore left fielder Lou Gilbert. The Bears furthered their lead during the next at-bat when senior third baseman Taylor Ellis hit a two-run home run over the fence, her second home run of the season.
Up 3-0 going into the bottom of the third, Baylor’s offense went to work once again. Freshman catcher Zadie LaValley hit a sac-fly to score freshman second baseman Emily Hott from third base. Only two batters later, junior center fielder Hannah Smith singled to centerfield. A disastrous error by the pitcher allowed both Ellis and senior first baseman Goose McGlaun to score, bringing the lead to a commanding 6-0.
The inning wasn’t over for the Bears just yet. Freshman Sydney Collazos, who was pinch-hitting for junior right fielder Maddison Kettler, nearly hit a home run that fell just short for her first double as a Baylor Bear. The double scored two, giving the Bears an 8-0 lead.
Baylor wouldn’t score again, but they didn’t need to. Mansell was in full control on the mound, striking out six batters while not allowing a single run.
“Sidney [Mansell] pitched a gem,” Moore said.
Baylor will travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on Iowa State for its final road series of the season. The Bears will look to improve on their 3-3 conference record against the Cyclones, who are last place in the Big 12 with an 0-9 record. The series will start on Friday at 4 p.m.
