Cyclones avenge losses to K-State

Brandon Belisle and Chad Calek

After dropping two close games to Kansas State 7-6, 10-9 on Saturday, the Cyclone baseball team got revenge with a 14-4 victory over the Wildcats on Sunday in record-setting style.

ISU third baseman Bill Uelmen belted a home run in the seventh inning, giving ISU 52 for the season, breaking the Cyclones’ single-season homerun mark.

Despite the win, ISU Head Coach Lyle Smith was disappointed in the two losses.

“Obviously we were pleased, but we should have won all three,” Smith said.

The Cyclones got the ball rolling in the first inning when center fielder Mike Bahun smacked a double down the left field line.

Bahun later scored on a wild pitch and gave ISU a 1-0 lead after the first inning.

Iowa State made the score 2-0 in the third inning when second baseman Brian Bohannon crossed the plate after a single to left field by left fielder Aaron Runk.

The Wildcats scored one run in the third inning, and then took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth.

With flashbacks of Saturday’s games in their heads, the Cyclones came to bat with vengeance in the fifth inning.

ISU scored seven runs in the fifth inning off five hits. Freshman Jade O’Brien singled to center and Bohannon walked to start the inning.

Bahun then reached on a sacrifice bunt, advancing both runners. With the bases loaded, Runk was hit by a pitch to score O’Brien.

Junior Shawn Leimbeck then smacked a single to right, scoring Bohannon.

Senior right fielder Clark Jones then followed with a single to score Bahun before senior catcher Guye Senjem doubled down the right field line to score Runk and Leimbeck.

O’Brien then came to the plate again and doubled to right center, scoring Senjem and Uelmen, who reached base on a fielder’s choice. Bohannon was then retired to end the inning.

The Cyclones built on their lead, scoring one run in the sixth inning and two runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

Bahun and Runk each finished the day going three for three, while Senjem and Uelmen went two for four, scoring two runs apiece and driving in three RBIs.

Brad Waldron got the win on the mound for ISU, pitching four innings while allowing one hit and striking out three Wildcat batters.

More accolades came to ISU when Uelman, who hit .667 for the Kansas State series, was the conference position player of the week.

“I was struggling the last two weeks I read a book about mental preparation for baseball. I think baseball is mostly mental. I went back to the basics of just hitting the ball. It’s kind of nice to get a little recognition. I just wish the team could get some more recognition,” Uelmen said.

“We made some adjustments defensively. We had good pitching and good hitting. When you do all those three things, you are going to win ball games,” Smith said.

ISU will play host to Winona State today at 2 p.m.