Baylor's baseball team used the long ball to pull away late in Saturday's 8-2 home victory over Silverdale Baptist Academy.
Hunter Herndon led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run to left field, and Wake Forest signee Danny Corona sent a shot over the fence in right to score Henry Godbout and Patrick Johnson, who each had a two-hit day.
The Red Raiders (10-2) had already taken the lead for good when Jay Dill homered in the fourth to score Carson Yates, who doubled to begin the inning. Dill - who is also the team's ace and is drawing MLB interest, along with several other teammates - has seven RBIs over his past three games.
For Silverdale (12-2-1), Ian Reagan went 2-for-3 and Brett Rogers had just one hit but is still bats .614 this season, when he is 27-for-44.
Baylor pitchers Jonathan Larrea and Jacob Smith combined for seven strong innings in which they allowed one earned run on five hits while not walking a batter.
BOYS' SOCCER
Hoover 3, Baylor 2: Ethan Nunes' second assist of the game set up Gui Gragnano's goal that gave visiting Baylor a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute. However, Hoover answered with goals in the 64th and 73rd off a cross and a rebound to earn the victory. Nathan Lemus also scored for the Red Raiders, whose eight shots were one fewer than the top-ranked team from Alabama.
SOFTBALL
* Baylor won the Gibbs Invitational by beating William Blount 12-2 in the championship game Saturday night. The Lady Red Raiders beat Powell 2-0 in five innings Friday as Ace Sellers hit a two-run homer late and winning pitcher Syd Berzon had 10 strikeouts. Baylor shut out Alcoa 7-0 on Saturday as Holly Merritt, Morgan Sharpe and Addi Yates delivered big hits and Raven Jones pitched four scoreless innings.
* East Hamilton had a strong showing at the Gibbs Invitational by going 4-1-1. Danielle Wasserstrom had a pair of walk-off hits against Grace Christian and Union County as the Lady Hurricanes won 10-9 and 6-5. Leadoff batter Reese Knox had 13 consecutive hits in the first five games of the tournament, during which she drove in seven runs, scored 10 times and stole seven bases. East Hamilton also defeated William Blount 5-3 and Alcoa 4-3 and tied Coffee County 14-14, but the Lady Hurricanes lost 6-3 to William Blount in the semifinals. Syerra Rogers drove in 12 runs during the tourney, including her six RBIs as she singled, doubled twice and homered against Coffee County.
Walker Valley 5, Maryville 4: Sierra Brown and Grace Martin each had RBI doubles for the Lady Mustangs, who scored five runs in the bottom of the third to walk off as winners. Lindsey Hughes threw 1 2/3 perfect innings in relief for the victory.
Compiled by Patrick MacCoon. Contact him at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com and follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.