LUBBOCK, Texas – No. 20 Baylor softball (41-12, 11-4 Big 12) used three home runs, including a seventh inning grand slam, to run away with a 9-2 win over Texas Tech (23-27, 6-7 Big 12) on Friday evening at Rocky Johnson Field.
Heather Stearns (19-6) went wire-to-wire for the Lady Bears, allowing just two runs on four hits, and striking out 11.
The Baylor offense was hot early in the top of the first, with Sarah Smith roping a two-out single through the right side of the infield, setting up for a two-run bomb by Linsey Hays, giving her a team-best 12 home runs this season for a 2-0 BU lead.
The Red Raiders answered back in the bottom of the frame, lifting a solo shot into the jet stream to cut the lead to 2-1.
In the top of the third, Caitlin Charlton led-off with a solo home run just over the fence in right-center.
Jessie Scroggins followed with a single to right field, stealing second on the next play.
A single by Kyla Walker ended up being a scoring play for the Lady Bears, with the TTU pitcher throwing the ball away without a play at first, allowing Scroggins to come around to score, pushing the Baylor lead to 4-1.
The Red Raiders cracked back again, pushing another solo shot over the outfield fence, scoring the second and last run of the game for TTU to put the score at a 4-2 Baylor advantage.
From there, the two teams stayed in lockstep until the top of the seventh, with both pitchers working three-straight scoreless frames.
In the top of the seventh, Jessica Tomchesson came on to pinch hit, singling up the middle to start the inning. Abby Langkamp subbed in to pinch hit, reaching safely on a fielding error by the TTU second baseman.
Walker dropped in a bunt single, her third hit of the game, to load the bases.
Smith drew a bases-loaded walk, bringing home Tomchesson and keeping the bases juiced.
With two outs, Shelby Friudenberg launched the second pitch she saw to straight away center field, a grand slam to empty the bases and break open a seven-run lead for BU.
Stearns picked up a strikeout and two groundouts to close out the 9-2 win for the Lady Bears in game one of the weekend series.
STAT OF THE DAY #1
8 – the number of home runs for Shelby Friudenberg this season, giving her 26 in her Baylor career
STAT OF THE DAY #2
39 – the career home run count for Linsey Hays, putting her in sole possession of No. 3 on Baylor’s career list. Hays needs two HR to catch Brette Reagan for No. 2 and five to catch Chelsi lake for the program record.
STAT OF THE DAY #3
19 – the number of career 10+ strikeout games for Heather Stearns, picking up her sixth this season.
STAT OF THE DAY #4
22 – the number of hits by Kyla Walker in Big 12 play, after a 3-for-4 performance in Friday’s game, leading the conference.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Lady Bears play game two against the Red Raiders on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Rocky Johnson Field.
