Box Score WACO, Texas (March 3, 2024)--The Lady Bears softball team closed out their three-game series against No. 17 Baylor with a hard fought 3-1 loss on Sunday afternoon in the finale of the Baylor Invitational at Getterman Stadium.
 
Morgan State fell to 7-8 on the season and has now dropped seven straight, as the host Bears swept the weekend series. Baylor, which improved to 11-3, extended its winning streak to 10 and upped its home record to 3-2.
 
The Lady Bears, who entered the weekend playing for the first time ever in a regular season game against a top-25 ESPN/USA Softball nationally ranked program, was competitive in Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday would be no different.
 
Morgan State struck first in the opening inning when Amber Rivas scored on a sacrifice bunt by Gianna Ettore to put the visiting Lady Bears ahead 1-0. It would be the program's first lead over a Big 12 team in the four games played.
 
Unfortunately, the one-run would not be enough. Baylor evened the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the first on a double hit by Shaylon Govan to score Emily Hott.
 
The Bears took the lead in the third inning on an RBI single hit to right center by Sydney Collazos to put the hosts in front, 2-1.
 
Baylor would add an insurance run in the fourth, when Leah Cran singled to right field to score Presleigh Pilon for the 3-1 victory.
 
Morgan State was held to two hits, drew three walks and left four on base. Rivas finished 1-for-3 with a run and Ky'Anah Lake was 1-for-1.
 
Victoria Fletcher (1-2) got the start and pitched four innings. Emily Raubuch pitched two innings in relief and surrendered a hit and recorded a strikeout.
 
Baylor's Lexie Warncke got the win to improve to 1-0. She pitched five innings, allowing the one run on two hits and struck out six batters.
 
Offensively the host Bears tallied seven hits with Ana Watson leading the way with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate.
 
The weekend series was Morgan State's first match-up against a nationally ranked opponent since it faced No. 1 overall seed Oklahoma in the opening round of the Norman Region of the 2021 NCAA Softball Championship. It was the Lady Bears' only previous meeting against a Big 12 foe.
 
Morgan State will visit local rival UMBC on Wednesday, March 6 at 2 p.m.
 
 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.