(Photo Courtesy of Baylor Athletics)
THE RUNDOWN
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – Linsey Hays’ 2-run homer, Heather Stearns strong starting-pitching performance and Whitney Canion’s first save of the season propelled No. 15 Baylor (9-2) past No. 16 Missouri (5-2), 3-2 Thursday night at the Big League Dreams Softball Complex. Just four days after the two teams played in Waco, Texas, where Baylor took a 2-1 pitcher’s duel Sunday, Thursday night’s game brough much of the same result.
Stearns threw five innings and allowed just two runs to improve to 5-0 on the season. She faced one batter in the sixth, Mackenzie Sykes, who doubled; Canion came in for her first relief appearance of the season and shut the door on Missouri’s offense, allowing just one hit and striking out three for her first save of the season.
Hays, who missed the Getterman Classic last weekend in Waco with back pain, took Missouri starter Casey Stangel deep to right field in her second at bat for her third home run of the season, scoring pinch-runner Riley Browder to give BU a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning. Holly Holl added an RBI single to extend the lead to two before the Tigers’ Sami Fagan added an RBI double in the top of the fifth for the team’s final run.
HIGHLIGHTS
Heather Stearns won her fifth consecutive game to start the season (17th win of career).
Whitney Canion recorded the ninth save of her career, which tied her for third all-time on BU’s career saves list.
Linsey Hays’ two-run homer was the ninth home run of her career and third of the season.
Kaitlyn Thumann has reached base in all 11 games this season with a 1-for-3 performance and a walk drawn vs. Missouri.
Holly Holl had her first extra-base hit of the season, a double, to lead off the bottom half of the third inning. She has 37 career doubles, one away from being tied for third all-time on the BU career list.
STAT OF THE GAME I
0 – No walks issued by the Baylor pitching staff in the win over nationally-ranked Missouri.
WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor takes on 13/11 Stanford (12-0) Friday at 3 p.m. PT and Cal State Fullerton (9-3) at 5:30 p.m. PT
