Softball hosts Baylor Bears at 6:30
2/24/2016 8:36:00 AM | Softball
The Sam Houston softball team takes on another big-name opponent Wednesday when the Bearkats play host to Baylor at 6:30 p.m. at the Softball Complex.
Last year, the Bears rolled up a 41-17 record and finished as the runner-up in the Big 12. Baylor advanced to the NCAA tournament where they reached the UL-Lafayette Regional championship game.
Sam Houston is coming off a doubleheader sweep of Prairie View A&M last Friday. The Bearkats defeated the Panthers 6-2 and 5-4 in their first home appearance. Freshman pitcher Lindsey McLeod struck out eight consecutive batters and ended with 10 strikes to earn the victory in relief in the nightcap. Designate player Hannah Marino's three-run double late in the game brought in the winning run.
“We needed the two wins,” Sam Houston head coach Bob Brock said. “And it's always exciting when your team can come from behind and pull out a victory like we did in the second game. We're really young and we're just getting started. Baylor will be a big challenge for us but it's an opportunity for us to get better.”
Sam Houston has played Baylor three times in the past two seasons. The Bearkats knocked off a nationally-ranked Bear squad 4-3 in 10 innings in the opening game of a doubleheader in 2014. Last year, Baylor edged the Kats 1-0 in Waco.
Freshman infielder Ashley Goetz and senior catcher Tiffancy Castillo are Sam Houston's top two hitters. Goetz leads the team with a .421 mark that includes three doubles. Castillo is hitting .278.
Taylor Atkinson picked up the victory in Sam Houston's first game against Prairie View. Jordan Franks and Brook Seneshen also have seen action as starters.
Goetz and Castillo join Dani Allen and Breanna Homer as the four players who have started every game for the Bearkats so far this season.
Baylor features some strong hitters at the plate. Outfielder Lindsey Cargill leads the team with a .538 average while infielder Sarah Smith boasts a .478 hitting mean. Kelsee Selman is the Bears' ace in the circle with a 1.86 earned run average.
The Bears stand 5-3 for the year with four of those victories coming over Southland Conference opponents. Baylor took two games out of three in a weekend series with McNeese State and own 10-0 and 4-3 wins over Northwestern State.
Following Wednesday's action, the Bearkats will head to North Texas for the Mean Green Classic in Denton. Sam Houston will take on both North Texas and Creighton each d
