No. 23/24 Baylor softball (5-2) saw its second-straight combined shutout from the pitching staff, squeaking out a 1-0 win over Grand Canyon (7-1) in day two of the weekend’s Getterman Classic on Friday evening at Getterman Stadium.
Kelsee Selman (3-1) took the win in relief, taking over for Gia Rodoni in the top of the sixth inning.
Selman worked a perfect 1.1 inning outing, adding a strikeout and taking her season ERA down to 1.19.
Rodoni made the start in the circle, allowing just three hits and striking out four over 5.2 frames. The sophomore knocked her ERA for the season down to a remarkable 0.72.
Spreading five hits out over the seven frames, the Lady Bears used a late spark in the bottom of the sixth to take the edge.
Taylor Ellis reentered the game to pinch hit for Caitlin Charlton, with the freshman driving a gapper into left center for a double.
After Scroggins drilled a ground ball at the third baseman, Ellis was caught in a rundown, with Scroggins making the heads up play to advance to second base, keeping a runner in scoring position with two outs.
Kyla Walker came through in the clutch, launching a ball over the leftfielder’s head to the wall in left center, easily scoring Scroggins and giving Walker what would stand as a game-winning RBI triple.
HIGHLIGHTS
Kyla Walker hit her second triple of the season, doubling her season-end total from 2016.
Maddison Kettler extended a team season-high on-base and hitting streak, pushing her total in both categories to five games.
STAT OF THE DAY
14.1 – the current scoreless streak for the Baylor pitching staff, dating back to the sixth inning at Arizona (Feb. 11).
TOP QUOTES
“I told the team, to see a lefty out there that has that kind of off-speed, and even though we had three errors and didn’t play perfect defense, we kept them off the plate and gave ourselves enough time to get to her in seven innings. I think we can rely on that later on and recall that in-game a lot from having this experience so early in the season.” – Baylor head coach Glenn Moore
“My second at bat, when Scroggins was on second, I should’ve moved her over. So I felt like I had to score this run. This was me. Coming back, I had to score it. But my first pitch was a change up and I was slapping, but then the coaches said “Watch for out of the box.” So I thought, oh gosh, they’re going to pitch me more change ups. So I said, you know, I’m just going to stand up and swing. I worked on it all fall. I trust myself enough, so I can swing away. Then she pitched three straight balls, so then I knew she was coming with the pitch. I watched it for a long time and just went with it. She left it kind of fatty.” – Baylor right fielder Kyla Walker
WHAT’S NEXT
The Lady Bears enter day three of the Getterman Classic, playing Lamar on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m.
