After a 6-3 defeat of Texas Tech Saturday, the ISU softball team was looking for the sweep Sunday afternoon.

But instead, the Red Raiders proved to be the spoilers as they won Sunday’s game 6-4 on a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning by Kelly Rhyme.

Down 4-3 going into the top of the seventh, Texas Tech put together back-to-back singles off of ISU senior pitcher Jen Bice. Bice got two outs on a strikeout and fly out, but on a 1-2 count, Rhyme blasted her second home run of the day over the left field fence, which proved to be the game-winner for Texas Tech.

ISU head coach Ruth Crowe said she was pleased with Bice’s performance overall, but Texas Tech figured out how to hit off of her in the last two innings of the game. Crowe said she wasn’t pleased with how many ISU runners were left on base.

“The truth of the matter is, we left 10 people on base. Obviously, all of those people are potential runs,” she said. “I told them [on Saturday] you have to score a lot of runs. It just takes the pressure off of everything and one swing of the bat is not going to come back and hurt you.”

Iowa State got on the board 1-0 in the first inning as Erica Martinez hit a fielder’s choice to score Julia Lindsey. Martinez drilled a two-run home run in the third inning off Texas Tech starter Erin Crawford to make it 3-0.

Martinez, who went 2-for-3 on the day, said she was being selective and patient at the plate.

“I was just trying to go up there and hit the ball hard wherever it went too,” she said. “I really didn’t think [the home run] was going over.”

Texas Tech came back to tie the game on three runs in the sixth inning, including Rhyme’s first homer of the game — a line drive over the left field fence.

Iowa State went up 4-3 in the bottom half of the sixth as Lindsey hit a RBI single, setting the stage for Rhyme’s game-winner.

Katie Ruby helped Iowa State offensively, going 2-for-3 with a double. Bice allowed eight hits and walked three on the mound. She had six strikeouts.

Adrianne Blackmon said the team let up toward the end of the game. “We let them think they had a chance,” she said. “And they took advantage of the chance. I’ll give them props for that. We gave them the opportunity [in the end].”

Sunday marked the last home game for seniors Cassandra Kastler, Molly McNertney, Bice, Ruby, Blackmon and Martinez, who were all honored before the game.

In Saturday’s game, the Cyclones took advantage of a solid pitching performance by freshman Kristen Karanzias and four double plays to win 6-3.

Ruby got the Cyclones on the scoreboard as she belted a first-pitch solo home run over the center field fence in the fourth inning. Martinez extended the ISU lead to 3-0 when she hit a two-run single to left-center field to score Blackmon and Lindsey.

Iowa State would add three more runs in the sixth inning, capitalized by a two-run single by Lindsey.

The Red Raiders fought their way back in the top of the seventh inning as they scored three runs. The biggest hit in the inning for Texas Tech was a two-run double to left-center by Kristi Robles off of Karanzias. Bice came in relief with two outs to earn the save for the Cyclones.

Ruby, Martinez, Kelly Wardein and Kim Rodgers each had two hits a piece for Iowa State. Karanzias pitched six and two-third innings, giving up eight hits and walking five batters, along with four strikeouts.

With the weekend split, Iowa State goes to 19-27 overall and finished 6-12 in the conference. The 19 wins equaled last year’s win total. Texas Tech is now 21-39 overall and finished 4-14 in the conference.

Iowa State will return to action on Thursday in the Big 12 Conference tournament at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. The official details were not known at press time, but it is likely the Cyclones will play Baylor at 5 p.m.