AMES — Iowa State beat Baylor 4-3 in its final game of the regular season Sunday. With a final conference record of 15-9, the Cyclones will finish third in the Big 12.
The atmosphere in the Cyclone Sports Complex was emotional for senior day. After 11 seniors graduated in 2024, the young 2025 team celebrated its only two graduating players, Angelina Allen and Angelita Fuentes. Allen had a stellar performance in her last home game and played a key part in the win.
The California native went 2-for-3 at the plate, with a home run and two RBIs. She also massively contributed in the field with a clutch double play in the top of the seventh inning to help secure the win.
After the win, head coach Jamie Pinkerton embraced her, and her time with the program was celebrated in a Senior Day ceremony. Allen has racked up accomplishment after accomplishment during her time on the team, including All-Big 12 second-team honors in 2024, and Academic All-Big 12 first team in 2023 and 2024.
“I’m thankful to be at Iowa State. This program, with these coaches and these players, it’s a special program,” Allen said. “They let you have the freedom to be a strong, independent woman, and they let you have the freedom to value yourself not just as a softball player, but also outside of the field.”
Her first highlight of the day came in the fourth inning. She came to the plate to lead off the inning in an attempt to overcome the Cyclones’ 2-1 deficit.
With a full count, she demolished a home run to right center field, and it was a no-doubter. As soon as it left the bat, every person at the Cyclone Sports Complex knew that ball was long gone.
Allen took a moment to celebrate on the way to first base, and then came around to celebrate with her team at home plate. The homer equalized the game at 2-2, and was her fifth of the season.
In the fifth inning, freshman Jessie Clemons had an RBI single to tie the game at 3-3 and advanced to third on a throwing error. Allen was again up to bat and quickly found herself facing another full count. After battling, she singled through the left side and brought home Clemons to give Iowa State the lead, 4-3. In the end, the RBI single turned out to be the winning run.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Cyclones had one job: hold onto the lead and close out the win. After an error by freshman Karlee Ford to begin the inning that allowed a runner to advance to first base, the atmosphere was tense.
Karynton Dawson came to the plate for the Bears and hit a fly ball to left center field. Allen, who was in left field, tracked down the ball and made the catch. The runner at first tagged up, and Allen threw a laser to second base to complete the double play.
The play turned a potential scoring threat into a situation with no runners on base and two outs. After another lineout, Iowa State secured the win.
With the win, Iowa State closes out the regular season at 30-22. The third place Big 12 finish is the best in program history for the Cyclones.
In its first matchup at the Big 12 Championship, Iowa State will face either BYU or Houston, depending on who wins the No. 6 vs No. 11 matchup.
The No. 3 Cyclones will play the winner of that game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The game will be livestreamed on ESPN+.
