AMES — Iowa State took down Kansas 7-6 in walk-off fashion to clinch another Big 12 series at home Friday. The Cyclones improved to 23-18 and 11-6 in conference play.
Kansas strikes first, Cyclones fire back
Freshman Sami Potvin started in the circle for Iowa State and got the first two outs via deep flyouts, then with a 1-0 count, junior Hailey Cripe would roast one to deep left to give the Jayhawks a 1-0 lead.
The Cyclones answered back with two outs as well, as junior Tatum Johnson hit a double to left center, bringing up junior Sydney Malott. With a 2-1 count, Malott crushed a two-run homer to left, her 10th of the season, to take the lead 2-1.
“Both games, they kind of came out stronger than us in the first inning, so we just wanted to be able to respond,” Malott said. “We responded every time they scored throughout the game. We just made sure to stay within ourselves.”
Jayhawks reclaim the lead twice
Cripe tied the game again in the third with her second solo homer of the day off junior Jaiden Ralston. The Jayhawks grabbed the lead in the fourth with a hit-by-pitch, two stolen bases and a fielder’s choice RBI to go up 3-2.
However, Iowa State would tie it back up in the bottom of the frame. Johnson drew a leadoff walk and advanced on a groundout. Junior Reagan Bartholomew delivered with a two-out RBI single, followed by a single from freshman Karlee Ford, but the Cyclones left two stranded.
In the fifth, sophomore Lauren Schurman relieved Ralston and retired the first two batters before giving up a double and a two-run homer to freshman Ava Wallace. Kansas tacked on another run in the sixth with an RBI double to lead 6-3.
Lengthy delay sets up comeback spark
A controversial substitution and a 15-minute delay involving Iowa State head coach Jamie Pinkerton and the umpires occurred in the sixth as Ralston re-entered the game. While the ruling remained unclear, Pinkerton said it sparked an energy shift.
“I think they got a little fired up about what went on. They knew I was fighting for them,” Pinkerton said. “McKenna [Andrews] started off that inning, and once we flipped the order, we can be pretty good. We got in one of those moments where they saw blood and went into a frenzy.”
Andrews, who led off the rally, said her mindset was simple.
“My job is really to get on base, turn the lineup over to get back to the leadoff spot,” Andrews said. “I was just thinking line drive, get on base, and do my job.”
After Andrews and freshman Sereniti Trice singled, freshman Jessie Clemons drove in a run with a deep flyout and later stole second.
Johnson tied the game with a two-RBI single, then reached third after Malott reached on an error. A walk by senior Angelina Allen loaded the bases.
Bartholomew capped the comeback on the 11th pitch of a 3-2 count and sent a sacrifice fly to left to walk it off.
“I think that was a gritty win,” Pinkerton said. “We’re just finding different ways to win; that was our first true walk-off of the year.”
Box score breakdown
Offensively, Iowa State totaled 11 hits and two walks, struck out just four times and left five runners on base. Johnson, Malott and Bartholomew each collected two RBIs, while Johnson scored three times. Clemons, Johnson and Andrews each had multiple hits.
Potvin started the game with one inning of one-run ball. Ralston picked up the win in four innings of relief, allowing two runs on four hits. Schurman threw two innings, giving up three runs on four hits.
Defensively, the Cyclones committed one error, but it did not result in a run.
Iowa State will look to bring its walk-off momentum into the series finale against Kansas to push for its second Big 12 series sweep of the season at 1 p.m. Saturday from the Cyclone Sports Complex.
