Baylor Softball Gears Up for 2025 Season with Getterman Classic Showdown
The wait is over in Waco. Baylor Softball is back, and they’re starting the 2025 campaign with a bang, hosting the Getterman Classic - a five-day home stand that features ranked competition, familiar foes, and a few emotional reunions.
It all begins Thursday night under the lights at Getterman Stadium, where the Bears will take on No. 24/21 Mississippi State in the season opener.
This year’s Classic brings together a competitive field: Mississippi State, New Mexico, Wichita State, and Northwestern State. And while the season is just getting underway, the storylines are already rich with intrigue.
A Familiar Challenge to Start
Opening the season against a ranked opponent is nothing new for Glenn Moore’s squad - it’s the fifth time in the last eight years Baylor has done so. They’ve split those matchups 2-2, and Moore’s track record in openers is strong: 19-6 during his time in Waco. The Bears are 7-0 all-time against Mississippi State, but the Bulldogs come in with SEC pedigree and a top-25 ranking, so expect the intensity to be high from pitch one.
A Dominant History at Getterman
The Getterman Classic has long been kind to the Bears. Under Moore, Baylor owns an 86-20 record in the event, including three perfect 6-0 runs in the early 2000s.
The only blemish? Last year’s two-game sweep at the hands of then-No.
2 Tennessee. That’s the kind of memory this team would like to erase quickly.
Since opening in 1999, Getterman Stadium has been a fortress. Baylor has posted a 487-194 all-time record at home and has finished with a winning home record in every full season but one. The 2025 squad went 15-12 at home last year - solid, but they’re looking to raise the bar.
Family Ties and Full-Circle Moments
Sunday’s finale against Northwestern State brings a special twist. The Demons are coached by Jenny [Isham] Fuller, a Lorena, Texas native and former Baylor pitcher who led the team in wins and shutouts back in 2008. Fuller’s return to Getterman is more than a homecoming - it’s a full-circle moment, especially with Moore’s son, Ty, now serving as a graduate assistant on her staff.
Moore’s Milestones
Speaking of Moore, the 2025 season marks his 30th as a collegiate head coach. He enters the year with 1,081 career wins, ninth among active coaches and sixth among those in power conferences. His longevity and success have made him a staple of college softball, and this year’s team will look to add another chapter to that legacy.
A Tough Road Ahead
The Bears aren’t easing into the season. They’ve got 14 games lined up against teams ranked in the ESPN/USA Softball Preseason Top 25 - including both of the preseason No. 1 teams, Texas and Texas Tech.
Baylor’s home slate features visits from Mississippi State, Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State. Road trips to Clemson, UCF, Texas, and Texas Tech round out a schedule that will test this group early and often.
Brooklyn Carter: Speed and Star Power
Senior outfielder Brooklyn Carter is Baylor’s lone representative on the Preseason All-Big 12 team, and for good reason. She enters the season with 71 career stolen bases - seventh nationally and second among Power Four players. Carter’s speed is a game-changer, and she’ll be a key piece at the top of the lineup.
A New-Look Roster with Veteran Leadership
Replacing a player like Shaylon Govan - the program’s second-ever three-time All-American - is no easy task. But Baylor’s got a mix of seasoned returners and promising newcomers ready to step up.
Shortstop Amber Toven anchors the defense with 165 career games under her belt, including 118 in the Green and Gold. She’s paired up the middle with Faith Piper, who slides into the second base role after the departure of Presleigh Pilon. The duo is eyeing a big year defensively - Baylor turned 28 double plays last season, just three shy of the program record set in 2023.
At the plate, Leah Cran is back for her third year after hitting .362 in limited action last season. In the outfield, sophomore Karynton Dawson brings dynamic speed and led the team in triples a year ago. And keep an eye on freshman Kaygen Marshall - the Robinson, Texas native is on D1Softball’s D100 Freshman Watch List, along with fellow newcomers Gianna Gusman and Harper Haas, who were also recognized by Softball America.
Reinforcements in the Circle
Injuries hit the pitching staff hard last season, so the Bears went out and added depth. Tennessee transfer Peyton Tanner and Arizona State transfer Cambree Creager bring Power Four experience and Texas ties. They’ll join returners Kaci West, Sadie Ross, and Lexie Warncke in what looks like a much deeper and more versatile rotation.
And this isn’t just a group with potential - it’s a group with big-stage experience. Toven (Arizona, 2022), Carter (Washington, 2023), and Tanner (Tennessee, 2025) have all played on the sport’s biggest stage: the Women’s College World Series.
A New Era Begins - With a New Locker Room to Match
The Bears will kick off the season in style - not just on the field, but off it too. The team recently unveiled the brand-new Peggy Hawkins Softball Locker Room, a five-month renovation project funded by dedicated supporters. The space features flat-screen TVs, a nutrition center, a player lounge, and a state-of-the-art vanity area - the kind of upgrade that shows Baylor’s commitment to building a championship-caliber program.
The Road Starts Now
Picked eighth in the Preseason Big 12 Coaches Poll, Baylor has a history of outperforming expectations - 17 times in Moore’s 25 seasons, to be exact. With a challenging schedule, a reloaded roster, and a coach who’s seen it all, the Bears are ready to write their next chapter.
It all starts Thursday night. First pitch, 6:30 p.m.
CT. Mississippi State in town.
The lights on at Getterman. Let the 2025 season begin.