No. 14/14 Baylor softball (28-6, 2-1 Big 12) clinched the opening series of Big 12 play at Kansas (19-14, 1-2 Big 12), winning 5-1 to close the three-game, weekend series on Sunday afternoon at Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park.
Kelsee Selman (15-3) closed out a busy weekend in the circle, pitching the complete game, three-hitter. The senior pitcher allowed just one run, matching her season-high strikeout total with 10.
Facing KU’s ace for the second-straight game, the Baylor bats had more success in the third game of the series, scattering 11 hits in the winning effort.
The game stayed locked in a scoreless tie through the first three frames, with the Lady Bears breaking through in the top of the fourth inning.
Lindsey Cargill led off the frame with a walk, followed by a single by Taylor Ellis. Both Cargill and Ellis advanced a base on the throw in from left, putting two in scoring position.
Maddison Kettler broke through for the Lady Bears, singling through the left side for the RBI, giving BU the 1-0 lead.
Getting some much needed insurance in the top of the sixth, Shelby McGlaun led off the inning reaching safely on an infield error.
With Riley Browder pinch running for McGlaun, Cargill dropped a bunt single in front of the plate, moving Browder to second.
A ground out by Ellis pushed both runners in scoring position, setting up for the bases-clearing, two-RBI double by Sydney Christensen.
Keeping the pressure on with Madi O’Neal pinch running for Christensen, O’Neal advanced to third on a wild pitch, scoring on an RBI ground out by Kettler.
Jessie Scroggins kept the rally going with two outs, singling up the middle, followed by a single to left for Kyla Walker.
A double steal by Scroggins and Walker paid off for the Lady Bears, forcing an error on the throw to third and allowing Scroggins to plate the fourth run in the inning, giving Baylor the 5-0 advantage.
The insurance runs came in clutch, with KU notching a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, but Selman settled in to strike out the next three in the inning to help finish off the 5-1 BU victory.
HIGHLIGHTS
Lindsey Cargill led the Baylor bats on the opening conference weekend, finishing 7-for-11 at the plate with three runs scored.
Cargill, the team and Big 12’s leading hitter, extends her hitting streak to 12, a new career high and tying the team’s season high streak (Hawkins, 12).
Kelsee Selman totaled 17.2 innings of work in the weekend series, going 2-1 with two complete games and 22 strikeouts to just five walks. The senior allowed only four runs on nine hits, with only three of those earned.
Shelby Friudenberg extended her on-base streak to 31 games, and counting. The junior slugger now holds sole possession of the No. 2 spot in the Baylor program’s record book, trailing only Kaitlyn Thumann for the program record, who had a 44-game streak stretching across the 2013-2014 seasons.
Ari Hawkins also extended her own on-base streak to 21 games, taking sole possession of No. 6 and trailing Kayce Walker (23, 2009) for the No. 5 spot in the program record books.
STAT OF THE GAME
298 – the number of pitches thrown by Kelsee Selman over her three appearances in two days against the KU lineup.
WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor returns to Waco for a seven-game home stand, starting with a midweek matchup with Abilene Christian on Wednesday, March 29, at 6 p.m. at Getterman Stadium.
