By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
No. 19. Baylor softball opened the 2025 season in the Aggie Classic, finishing the five-game weekend with a 6-4 loss to Utah State and an 8-2 win over Villanova on Saturday afternoon at Davis Diamond in College Station with a 3-2 record.
The Bears (3-2) began the weekend with a dominant 10-2 victory over Abilene Christian (0-5) on Thursday, followed by a 6-1 win over Purdue (2-2), with all seven runs coming in the second inning, on Friday. Freshman right-handed pitcher Lexie Warncke had the game under control, throwing four innings of one-run ball. Baylor lost a six-run lead later that night in game two of the doubleheader against the hosting No. 7 Texas A&M (5-0) team. The Aggies rallied back from down 7-1 to win 10-7 behind a four-run fifth and a five-run sixth inning.
Baylor entered the final day of the Aggie Classic 2-1, matching up with a Utah State team that was 1-2 through the first two days and Villanova entering at 2-1.
Utah State (2-2) jumped on freshman right-handed pitcher Sadie Ross (0-1), scoring four runs in the first inning from two RBI singles and a run off of an error by senior infielder Turiya Coleman. The four-run inning was topped off by another RBI single in the bottom of the second inning.
The Bears kept up with the productive Aggie offense with three runs in the first three innings. Sophomore catcher Abi Flores drove in senior infielder Presleigh Pilon in the first inning, which was followed by two sacrifice flies from Coleman and junior shortstop Amber Toven to make it a 5-3 game through three innings.
Both teams scored one run each in the sixth inning, pushing Utah State’s advantage to 6-4. The green and gold failed to score in the top of the seventh, ending the game with their second straight loss in the invitational. Ross was tagged with the loss after throwing her first career complete game, allowing six runs and 10 hits in six innings of work.
Wasting no time, Baylor trotted back onto the field 45 minutes later to take on Villanova (2-2). Similar to game one, the opposing side found the scoreboard first with a two-run first inning. The Bears responded with a six-run third inning, beginning with a Pilon sacrifice fly, leading to three hits driving in five runs. The green and gold scored one final time with a two-run home run from junior center fielder Brooklyn Carter — the first home run of her career.
Senior left-handed pitcher Lillie Walker (1-0) earned the win with a dominant 6 2/3 innings, giving up only one hit and striking out five Wildcats after a sour ending to her outing against No. 7 Texas A&M.
Senior first baseman Shaylon Govan — named the No. 1 first baseman in college softball — only saw three plate appearances on the weekend, going 0-for-2 with a walk against the hosting Aggies. According to Baylor Athletics, Govan missed much of the tournament due to graduate school class.
The Bears open their home schedule by hosting Hofstra and No. 3 Oklahoma in the Getterman Classic next weekend. The event opens at 6:30 p.m. Friday with Baylor taking on Hofstra at Getterman Stadium.
