The ISU community has said goodbye to one of its oldest traditions.

The Big 12 tournament game against Oklahoma State will be recorded as the last Cyclone baseball game in history. We are all a little disappointed that ISU baseball is ending after more than one hundred years of playing.

It’s sad that future ISU students will never be able to watch America’s pastime played out on Cap Timm field. The roar of the crowd has been forever quieted. Towers residents won’t heard the crack of the bats while studying for finals.

Never again will the Cyclones play doubleheaders against the rival Hawkeyes. There will never be a trip to the College World Series in Omaha. When the final out was thrown in Oklahoma City Friday night, the lights went out on ISU baseball.

But before Cyclone baseball finished, it brought together the student body of Iowa State. In each one of our hearts, we didn’t want the season to end. Even in a newsroom filled with less-than-athletic journalists, the spirit of baseball was alive.

On Thursday afternoon, while avoiding work, we huddled around a small black Hitachi radio. It gave us the play-by-play of the Cyclones game against Baylor. When Iowa State upset Baylor in the bottom of the ninth with a play at home plate, cheers filled the newsroom.

So to the players of the 2001 ISU baseball team, thanks for the great effort all season and especially for fighting strong at the end.

And to the ISU baseball players throughout the years, thanks for the memories.

editorialboard: Michelle Kann, Tim Paluch, Jocelyn Marcus, Zach Calef, Ruth Spangler, Cavan Reagan