Baylor softball (16-3) took a clean sweep of the opening day of competition in the Judi Garman Classic, taking down Arizona State (13-5), 4-2, and No. 14 Michigan (10-6-1), 4-0, on Friday afternoon at the Titan Softball Complex.
In the ASU game, Gia Rodoni (5-0) tossed 5.1 shutout innings in the circle, allowing just two hits and striking out seven. The sophomore pitcher carried a no-hitter through 5.0 frames, with Shelby McGlaun coming on in relief in the bottom of the sixth.
McGlaun took over a one-out situation with runners on the corners, forcing a pop fly and a ground out to end the inning without a run.
After the freshman pitcher gave up two hits and two runs in the bottom of the seventh, Kelsee Selman made her first appearance of the day, closing out the final two outs and picking up the second save of the season.
For the offense, the bats jumped to an early lead, with Walker legging out an infield single and advancing to third on the errant throw in the top of the first.
Ari Hawkins brought her home, singling through the left side. After Hawkins was caught stealing, Shelby Friudenberg drilled a solo home run to left field, pushing the BU lead to 2-0.
Back in the top of the second, Caitlin Charlton got the rally rolling, beating an infield single out with one out.
After Taylor Ellis was hit by a pitch, Jessie Scroggins roped a single to centerfield, scoring Charlton to add to the BU lead, up 3-0.
Adding some insurance in the top of the fourth, McGlaun drilled a double into the corner in left field, with Riley Browder coming on to pinch run.
A sac bunt from Charlton moved Browder to third, with Ellis dropping a single into the gap in left-center, scoring Browder to push BU out in front, 4-0.
Despite a two-spot in the bottom of the seventh for ASU, the Lady Bears hung on to take the 4-2 win, the first top-25 win for the Lady Bears since defeating then-No. 4 Louisiana-Lafayette on March 29, 2016.
In game two with No. 14 Michigan, it was the Lady Bears that held the upper hand throughout much of the game, finally breaking through in a dominating way in the top of the seventh.
Kelsee Selman (8-2) made her second appearance of the day, tossing a complete game, two-hit shutout of the Wolverines, striking out six.
After peppering in five hits and stranding six runners through the first six innings, the Lady Bear offense finally exploded, posting four runs on five hits in the top of the seventh.
McGlaun made the first cut, crushing a solo home run to left center to lead off the frame.
Sydney Christensen singled through the left side, with Madi O’Neal coming in to pinch run.
A sac bunt from Charlton advanced O’Neal to second, with an RBI single to centerfield by Scroggins scoring O’Neal.
A bunt single for Walker and a double steal put two in scoring position.
With two outs, Friudenberg roped a single into centerfield, scoring both Walker and Scroggins to ice the 4-0 victory for the Lady Bears.
HIGHLIGHTS
The BU pitching staff allowed just two earned runs over 14.0 innings pitched, good for a 1.00 combined ERA.
BU’s hitters posted a .351 average, eight runs, and 10 hits, facing the opposing team’s ace starter in both games.
Shelby Friudenberg launched the 33rd home run of her collegiate career, now just five away from tying Kelly Osburn (38, 2003-06) for No. 4 on Baylor’s all-time leaderboard.
STAT OF THE DAY
0.00 – the ERA of the two starting pitchers for Baylor, with Rodoni and Selman combining for 13 strikeouts, 13.0 innings pitched, and just four hits.
TOP QUOTE
“We had two great, all-around performances today. Neither starting pitcher allowed a run, and our offense was big with 20 hits and eight runs. We played like an elite team today.” – Baylor head coach Glenn Moore
WHAT’S NEXT
The Lady Bears continue play in the 2017 Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif., facing Washington on Saturday, March 4, at 5 p.m. PT.
