PROVO, Utah — BYU softball fell to Baylor in five innings, 14-4 in its final home game of the 2024 season on Friday night.
After a two-run homer by senior Violet Zavodnik in the first inning, Baylor exploded by scoring six runs in the second inning and a game-altering eight more in the fourth, including a grand slam. Fourteen runs is the second-most scored by any of BYU's opponent this season.
Player Highlights
- Violet Zavodnik: 1 R, 1 H, 2 RBI, 1 HR
BYU opened the matchup with a lead in the bottom of the first, earning two runs. After Ailana Agbayani doubled to right center and Bejarano flew out, Zavodnik homered to left field on the very first pitch thrown her way, taking the score to 2-0.
Violet isn't messing around for senior night😤
— BYU Softball (@byusoftball) April 27, 2024
Watch on ESPN+: https://t.co/MjXNu1oigC pic.twitter.com/7GdOtoQdWz
Baylor answered in the top of the second, scoring six runs in a single frame. Once two Bears got walked, an RBI single allowed Baylor to score their first run of the evening. Another walk would load the bases, and a momentum-switching single by Presleigh Pilon took three batters home for a 5-2 score. Baylor’s Shaylon Govan immediately followed and homered to left field, securing a 6-2 lead.
The Bears then piled on a game-high eight runs in the top of the fourth, beginning with a double and subsequent RBI single that allowed the Bears to score their first run of the inning off a BYU throwing error. Baylor then made it 8-2 after an RBI single to center field. A single by the Bears' Ana Watson then loaded the bases, and a walk would bring the score to 9-2. An RBI single to left field made it 10-2, followed by a grand slam to right field that would take the score to 14-2.
The Cougars were able to load the bases in the bottom of the fourth, but ultimately left all three runners stranded as a fly out ended the inning.
In the top of the fifth, Baylor went three-up-three-down, featuring a BYU double play that was thrown from Keila Kamoku to Agbayani to Maddie Udall.
BYU loaded the bases once more in the bottom of the fifth, and a walk granted to Kamoku would take the score to 14-3. With two outs and runners on first and second, Macy Simmons stepped up to the plate, looking to keep the Cougars alive. Lily Owens then scored BYU’s fourth run of the night off a fielder’s choice, but a ground out would then conclude the inning, giving Baylor the 14-4 run-rule victory.
Following the game, BYU honored its six seniors, Macy Simmons, Huntyr Ava, Chloe Temples, Maddie Bejarano, Taryn Lennon and Zavodnik on the field in a senior night celebration.
On Deck
The Cougars will travel to play at Miller Ranch Stadium for a single matchup against Idaho State on Tuesday, April 30 at 4 p.m. MDT, with live coverage on ESPN+.