Softball can’t hold off late rally by No. 20 Baylor in 6-5 defeat

Saturday, March 26

Waco, Texas

8 p.m.

University of Texas

19-8, 0-2

Baylor

26-6, 2-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Texas	0	0	0	2	3	0	0	5	9	3
Baylor	0	0	2	1	1	0	2	6	6	1

Softball can’t hold off late rally by No. 20 Baylor in 6-5 defeat

03.26.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Bears plate two runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn walk-off victory over the Longhorns

WACO, Texas – On Saturday night in front of 1,458 fans at Getterman Stadium, a two-run bottom of the seventh outburst helped No. 20 Baylor (26-6, 2-0 Big 12 Conference) complete its rally from a late 5-3 deficit to earn a 6-5, walk-off victory over Texas (19-8, 0-2 Big 12).

The Longhorns out-hit the Bears by a 9-6 total in the contest, led by two-hit efforts from senior right fielder Holly Kern (2-for-3, RBI) and junior pitcher Tiarra Davis (2-for-4, double). Sophomore catcher Randel Leahy was 1-for-3 with a two-run inside-the-park HR, senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens was 1-for-4 with her team-leading fifth HR of the campaign and junior third baseman Celina Felix was 1-for-4 with a triple and a RBI.

In the circle, Davis allowed four earned runs on six hits, walked eight and struck out four over 6.1 innings of work in falling to 11-7 on the season.

Texas' offense set about demonstrating right from the start of Saturday's contest that it would have a more successful effort against Baylor ace Heather Stearns than on Friday. The Longhorns left a pair stranded during the opening half inning but singles from Davis and Kern combined to equal UT's hit output from the entirety of the previous match-up.

The Bears wasted no time posting a threat of their own in the bottom of the first as a lead-off bunt single from center fielder Jessie Scroggins and consecutive walks packed the bags full with no one retired. Davis started her battle out of the dire situation with a vital strikeout of right fielder Linsey Hays for a big first out. BU third baseman Sarah Smith stepped into the box and ripped a bouncer up the third base line. Felix moved to her right and corralled the ball before throwing home for the force on the fielder's choice. Baylor then officially missed a major chance to take an early lead as left fielder Lindsey Cargill lifted an inning-ending fly ball to junior Stephanie Wong in left to leave three stranded.

BU eventually did nab the advantage in the bottom of the third as a one-out single from first baseman Shelby Friudenberg was cashed in on a two-run Hays HR to right to grant the Bears a 2-0 advantage.

Senior designated player Erin Shireman granted Texas its first hit since the opening inning on a two-out single to left in the fourth. With senior pinch runner Rachel Scott standing in scoring position following a Stearns wild pitch, Leahy blasted a towering drive to right center. As a pair of Baylor outfielders converged at the wall, the ball struck the fence between them as they collided and shot straight out towards the right field corner. With the sphere rolling free, Leahy raced all the way around to score easily on an inside-the-park HR, tying the contest at 2-2.

The lead didn't last long, however, as a truly bizarre play handed Baylor back the advantage in the bottom of the fourth. On a strikeout of designated player Kyla Walker, the ball got away briefly behind the plate. Leahy picked it up and tossed to first in an attempt to get a putout, but her throw hit designated player Kyla Walker in the helmet and bounced down the right field line. With Texas' defense scrambling to corral the ball at the fencing, the runner circled the bases to score on a costly error as Baylor moved back in front, 3-2.

The chaos continued into the fifth as Stephens crushed Stearns' first pitch of the inning well over the wall in right for a solo HR to knot the count at three apiece and end the starter's stay in the circle. Davis greeted reliever Gia Rodoni rudely with a double just inside the third base line. After senior pinch runner Stephanie Ceo swiped third, Felix drove a triple to the wall in right center to hand the Longhorns their first lead of the night at 4-3. With Kendall Potts entered in the game as BU's third pitcher of the inning, Kern lifted a sacrifice fly to right center that proved deep enough to score Felix from 60 feet away to make it 5-3.

Hays followed Stephens' pattern from the top half of the fifth by driving Davis' initial offering of the bottom of the fifth over the wall in left center to cut the Bears deficit to a single run.

With the Longhorns still leading 5-4, Walker opened BU's half of the sixth with an infield single. Scroggins tried to bunt the runner into scoring position, but popped her effort straight up. Leahy stepped out from behind the plate to make the grab and quickly fired to double the runner off at first. After a Hawkins single back through the middle, first baseman Shelby Friudenberg hit a chopper to short. Tunning made the play and tossed low to first where junior Kelli Hanzel made a great scoop to conclude the sixth.

Down to the Baylor's last chance to extend or win the contest, Hays and Smith opened the bottom of the seventh for the Bears in promising fashion by drawing back-to-back walks. Cargill attempted to bunt the runners over, but reached on a single as the first-base bag remained uncovered on the play. With one down following a foul out to third, a passed ball allowed pinch runner Jessica Tomchesson to cross from third and tie the game at 5-5. The third free pass of the inning re-loaded the bags with one retired as Walker stepped to the plate. A subsequent bouncer on the infield was misplayed allowing the winning run to cross as Baylor prevailed, 6-5.