Baylor catcher Kaitlyn Phillips said right-hander Kaitie Sims’ riseball was working so well Friday that Briarcrest’s batters swung almost every time she threw one. And the results show the Saints were doing a lot more swinging than connecting.
Sims totaled 17 strikeouts while allowing seven hits in 13 innings pitched and was the winning pitcher in both games when Baylor beat Briarcrest 2-1 and 6-2 at Baylor.
By winning the best-of-three TSSAA Division II-AA sub-state series, Baylor (23-11) has earned a spot in next week’s state tournament where Phillips said the East/Middle Region co-champion Lady Red Raiders will be seeking to attain their third and final goal of the season.
“We’ve gotten two out of the three so far,” Phillips said. “The first was the region. This was the second. We’re definitely heading there with full force.”
Sims was at full force from start to finish Friday, although she did get somewhat of a break after pitching a complete game in the opener that went eight innings. She came on in relief in the second game with the bases loaded and none out in the third inning and limited the Saints’ rally to the two runs they had already scored.
“We felt like they were putting the bat on the ball pretty good, and since Kaitie had so much success the first game, we decided to come back and ride her,” Baylor coach Kelli Smith said. “We had Tory Helton ready if we needed her, but Kaitie said she was feeling stronger as she went on.”
Haley Andrus scored the winning run in the first game, only two innings later than it first appeared. The Lady Raiders had just given up a run in the top of the sixth when Andrus came to bat after Phillips had walked with one out.
Andrus hit a high drive down the left-field line that Leigh Taylor chased to the outfield fence. The ball landed and stayed momentarily in the pocket of Taylor’s glove, but when her hand hit the top of the fence the ball became dislodged and landed on the other side.
Instead of Andrus being credited with a go-ahead homer, she was ruled out when she passed Phillips on the basepath between first and second. However, Phillips was permitted to continue around the circuit to home.
Andrus hit a one-out double in the eighth and scored on Lauren Lybrand’s single after cleanup-batter Helton was walked intentionally.
“I think our girls played a little tight in the first game,” Smith said. “It’s been two weeks since we’ve been on the field. We battled back and got the tying run when we needed it, but unfortunately it was on that kind of crazy play there, and we weren’t able to take the lead. I was proud of Lauren for being able to step in there in that situation in the eighth and get the big hit for us.”
In addition to catching both games, Phillips’ eventful day included hitting a two-run single, then getting landed on when she was tagged out near second base after staying in a rundown long enough for Precious Birdsong to score the final run in Baylor’s four-run second inning in the second game. She also got bowled over by a baserunner at home but held on to Birdsong’s throw from center field for the last out in the fourth in the same game.
“I feel a little banged up, but that’s OK,” the senior said. “I guess you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”
Helton and Birdsong each finished the day 4-for-6. Helton’s first hit was a double.