After suffering a perfect game in their last outing, Baylor softball is eager to bounce back as they face four ranked teams during the Mary Nutter Classic, taking place Thursday to Saturday in Palm Springs, California.
The Bears (6-4) have already had a tough start to the season, having played No. 2 Oklahoma twice and No. 6 Texas A&M once in the first two weeks. This weekend’s competition will be even more challenging, with a five-game invitational schedule ahead.
“To be the best, you’ve got to play the best,” said senior right fielder Ashlyn Wachtendorf. “Playing strong teams helps us improve and boosts our confidence, allowing us to see where we stand and where we can go.”
At the Classic, Baylor will face No. 4 UCLA, No. 10 Arkansas, No. 15 Nebraska, and No. 22 Missouri—teams with a combined 33-8 record. The Bears’ only unranked opponent will be 8-2 Nevada, whom they’ll face Thursday at noon to open the event.
“We’re just focusing on one game and one pitch at a time,” Wachtendorf added. “We’re not too concerned with the other teams; it’s more about our process and how we prepare to face these strong teams because we know we’re capable.”
Baylor’s pitching staff aims to recover after a tough stretch, including two mercy-rule losses to Oklahoma and allowing seven runs in one of three games against Hofstra. The Bears will need to step up against some of the nation’s top offenses, as all five opponents rank in the top 35 for home runs, with three in the top 16 for team batting average.
“Big picture, I’m a little frustrated… but I’ve known this was coming,” said head coach Glenn Moore. “I see progress with our pitchers. We’re not where we need to be yet, but we’re making strides before conference play.”
Despite the loss to Oklahoma, where senior pitcher Sam Landry threw a perfect game, Baylor has averaged 6.2 runs per game and 8.3 in victories. Moore believes learning from these tough matchups will better prepare the team for the challenges ahead.
“You have to learn from every situation, but you also have to respect a great performance,” Moore explained. “Good pitching beats good hitting. We’ll tip our hats to her and keep working to ensure that doesn’t happen again.”
This weekend marks the third time Baylor has faced five games in three days, adding extra difficulty to their early season schedule. However, the team believes that these challenging tournaments will make their conference games feel more manageable.
“When you play the same team three times, it’s easier to study them,” said senior third baseman Turiya Coleman. “With five different teams, it’s tougher to get all the film on everyone.”
In addition to the grueling schedule, the Bears are looking forward to escaping the cold weather in Waco and playing in California’s warm temperatures, which will be in the upper 70s.
“I’m definitely excited for some heat,” Coleman said. “We’ll leave the cold behind and be back when it’s gone.”
The Bears begin their weekend with a doubleheader on Thursday, facing Nevada at noon and No. 15 Nebraska at 4:30 p.m.
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