The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
07.29.2022 | Softball
The Leander, Texas, product played in 15 games for the Tigers during her freshman campaign in 2022
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas head softball coach Mike White announced on Friday the signing of LSU transfer utility player Baylea Brandon (Sophomore/UTL/Leander, Texas/LSU/Leander H.S.) to join the Longhorns program for the 2022-23 academic year.
Baylea Brandon
Position/Class: UTL/Sophomore
Hometown: Leander, Texas
Previous College: LSU
High School: Leander H.S.
A local product out of Leander, Texas, Brandon heads to the Forty Acres after spending her freshman campaign at LSU. The 5-6 left-handed utility player earned time in 15 games for the Tigers in 2022 with seven starts, hitting .280 overall with four runs scored, three doubles, two HR's and 10 RBIs, while slugging .640 with a .973 OPS. For the year, Brandon made four of her starts in right field and three starts at designated player, including one at each position during LSU's three-game series at Texas over March 18-19. She reached base safely in seven contests, hit safely in five games and drove in at least one RBI in five match-ups. Her first career start came during an 8-6 loss to Notre Dame at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational as the designated player went 1-for-3. Her finest effort came in an 11-2 (5 inn.) rout of Southeastern Louisiana on March 15 as Brandon went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, a double, a HR and five RBIs.
Listed No. 27 overall in the 2021 release of the Extra Inning Softball Elite 100, Brandon was named the Austin American-Statesman's 2021 All-Centex Player of the Year after hitting .495 overall with 16 HR's and 60 RBIs. During that standout campaign, she helped power Leander H.S. to a No. 1 national ranking before falling in the Class 5A Region IV finals. A three-time Texas Sports Writers Association (TXSWA) All-State selection, as well as a multiple-time all-district MVP, all-district and all-academic selection, Brandon also put up a .500 batting average with 10 doubles and 11 HR's during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season. She played club ball for the Texas Bombers Gold, hitting 18 total HR's in 2018 while also helping guide her squad to the Texas Gold Cup title. During a 2019 club campaign that saw the Bombers post a fifth-place finish at Triple Crown, Brandon blasted 15 HR's.
