No. 3 seed Iowa State fell short in the Big 12 semifinals to No. 2 seed Arizona in a 6-3 contest Friday, which eliminated the Cyclones.

Cyclones jump out early with long ball, Arizona evens it up

Iowa State wasted no time getting on the board, as senior Angelina Allen singled in the second inning to set up freshman Karlee Ford, who blasted a two-run homer to left field to give the Cyclones a 2-0 lead.

After two clean innings from sophomore Lauren Schurman, Arizona responded with a two-out surge in the third. A hit-by-pitch followed by three consecutive singles allowed the Wildcats to plate two and tie the game.

Allen homers again, Wildcats respond

Allen led off the fourth with a solo shot to left center for her second home run in as many games to briefly restore the Cyclones’ lead. But Arizona matched it in the bottom half with a leadoff double, an error and a sacrifice fly to even things at 3-3.

Reliever Jaiden Ralston issued a leadoff walk and a single before recording an out on a sacrifice bunt. With runners on second and third and a 0-2 count, Arizona catcher Sydney Stewart launched a three-run homer to put the Wildcats ahead for good.

Box score breakdown

Iowa State managed just six hits and three walks while striking out five times. Allen turned in a 3-for-3 performance, scoring twice and homering once. Ford added a 2-for-3 outing with a home run and two RBIs. Freshman Jessie Clemons notched the final hit, while junior Tiana Poole walked twice in two plate appearances.

On the mound, Schurman threw three innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out one. Ralston followed with three innings of her own, allowing four hits and four runs (three earned) with two walks and a strikeout. Iowa State committed two defensive errors, one of which led to an unearned run.

With the 6-3 loss, Iowa State drops to 31-23 overall and awaits its postseason fate. The Cyclones sit on the bubble for an NCAA Regional bid, with selections set to be announced Sunday evening.