Baylor backs no-no with five home runs
Baylor softball standout Riley Oleksik’s postgame comment summed up an utterly dominant performance in Tuesday’s road victory over archrival and Division II-AA region foe GPS.
“It’s impossible to stop a team when you hit five home runs and throw a nohitter in the same game. You just can’t lose,” said the junior Oleksik, who blasted a pair of home runs in a statement 12-0 fourinning victory. “This is a sweet win for sure. Baylor is used to being big in May because we know what’s on the line. This is the time of year we put everything together so we can make a run at another state championship.”
Seniors Kylie Henderson and Morgan Sharpe joined the home run party along with junior Holly Merritt, who had three of her game-high four RBIs on an opposite field home run to left in the final inning.
Junior second baseman Addi Yates preserved classmate Avery Shamblin’s no-hitter as she made a web gem with a great snag on a line-drive to her left.
Shamblin had great life to her fastball as the Memphis commitment fanned 10 batters and garnered many late swings and misses.
“What a performance today by Avery. Her stuff was great,” Baylor head coach Kelli Smith said. “We are so fortunate to have two No. 1’s on our pitching staff with she and Kaylee Snyder. Our bats are finally coming around. I don’t think our team has quite lived up to its potential all season, but these girls have all the talent in the world and they are starting to show that.”
Baylor (17-4, 5-0 Division II-AA East Region) has outscored its competition 162-42 this season, but uncharacteristically had a recent slump at home where they were shut out by Soddy-Daisy and Silverdale Baptist — teams that have combined for 56 wins this season.
Still, the Lady Red Raiders have full belief in their talent across the diamond as they appear ready to fight in hopes of extending their TSSAA record to eight straight softball state championships.
“After losing those games, we just flushed it out of our system,” said Western Kentucky signee Sharpe, who doubled to start the game to go with her home run. “We know we are a good team and have a lot of confidence. We are going to keep fighting for one another and stay focused until the very end. We are all in.”