The series between the ISU club baseball team and its division foe the South Dakota Coyotes began on one of the warmest afternoons to date.

While the smell of a charcoal grill came from the crowd during the second inning of game one, South Dakota was jumping on top early by taking advantage of the Cyclones’ mistakes.

The Coyotes attacked ISU pitching early and often, fueling their 8-2 game one victory. USD pitcher Elliot Smith was the story of game one. Smith threw six innings, giving up just one earned run and striking out 11.

Saturday’s second game got the fans at Cap Timm Field yelling. The Cyclones jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Iowa State added two more runs in the second and three in the third to jump out to a 7-0 lead.

“We just had a lot more energy and we had a bigger crowd here, which helped out a lot to get the guys pumped up,” said player-coach Jeff Peterson. “We also saw that we could hit them and that they’re not unbeatable.”

Sophomore south paw Jon Chapman took the mound for the Cyclones. Chapman threw three hitless innings and dominated the Coyote hitters. Chapman went 4 2-3 innings, allowing four runs on three hits and striking out six.

“Starting off I felt really good,” Chapman said. “The team gave me a lot of run support, which really helps your confidence.”

After two walks to lead off the fourth, the Coyotes recorded their first hit and run of the game. The Coyotes continued their rally in the fifth, scoring three to bring the score to 7-4.

South Dakota finished its rally in the sixth inning. After scoring two runs, the Coyotes had runners on first and second with two outs, when first baseman Elliot Smith connected for a base hit up the middle to bring in a run and make the score 7-7.

Cyclone pitcher Trevor Haden shut down the Coyotes in the top of the seventh to give his team a chance to win it in the bottom half.

After a leadoff single from senior Shawn Lawler, Aaron Hinnah was hit by a pitch and Zach Simmons walked to have the bases loaded with none out for the Cyclones.

Plymouth, Minn., native Shawn Rasmussen put an 0-1 pitch in play to Coyote pitcher Steven Johnston, who then threw home to cut down the winning run. The throw went under his catcher Allan Scherschligt, allowing the winning run to score for the Cyclones.

“It was a good job by [Rasmussen] putting it in play,” Chapman said.

Even though the winning run came in on an error, a win is a win.

“It’s not the way you want to win and not the way to brag about,” Peterson said. “But it shows good discipline at the plate for us. It was a good mental approach at the plate, which I was very happy to see.”

Sunday’s rubber match called for Peterson on the mound. After going down 5-0 in the first two innings, the Cyclone defense stepped up its game and shut out the Coyotes the rest of the game.

“I started getting ahead of batters more,” Peterson said.

The Cyclones battled back within one run at 5-4, but couldn’t score the tying run from second in the final inning.

Iowa State’s next series will come when it hosts Northern Iowa on Saturday and Sunday.