IOWA CITY — Iowa State takes the first game in the Cy-Hawk series, winning 9-7.
The Cyclones scored runs, but the Hawkeyes kept fighting back. In the end, Iowa State held on in a back-and-forth affair.
Iowa State will return home to play No. 19 Oklahoma State in Ames this weekend.
Senior right-handed pitcher Jaiden Ralston and junior right-handed pitcher Avery Sapp were elite in the circle during the first two innings. Ralston allowed no hits, and Sapp gave up one.
Floodgates opened in the third inning
After two scoreless innings to open the ballgame, an avalanche of scoring ensued in the third inning.
After senior McKenna Andrews walked, senior Tatum Johnson blasted one to right field for her ninth long ball of the year.
Senior infielder Reagan Bartholomew followed that with a double off the base of the wall in left.
Sophomore infielder Kadence Shepherd continued to swing a hot bat as she smoked one off the scoreboard in center. That is Shepherd’s sixth home run in eight games.
The Hawkeyes retaliated in the bottom half of the frame. After two runners reached base, Iowa’s Tory Bennett smacked a three-run home run to left field to bring them within one.
From the third inning on, at least one run was scored in every frame.
Cyclones put on pressure, but Hawkeyes answered
Every time Iowa State put a crooked number on the board, the Hawkeyes kept themselves in the game.
Good base-running by the Cyclones in the fourth cashed in a run, but Iowa’s two-run homer halted the momentum.
The Cyclones were back in business in the fifth. They scored two runs off singles from Johnson and Bartholomew.
“I’ve been a part of the Cy-Hawk series my entire life, so just coming out here and being able to give our team a win and make it a Cyclone state is just like everything,” shortstop Bartholomew said.
Sophomore catcher Karlee Ford narrowly missed a home run off the top of the wall in right to put the Cyclones up two.
Once again, the Hawkeyes answered the call after Iowa State scored. The top of Iowa’s order punched in another run and diminished the Cyclones lead to one.
Iowa made three tremendous plays in the sixth to flip the momentum the other way. It worked, as freshman infielder Mariah Myers doubled off the right field wall.
Then, the next batter hit a single that deflected off of Andrews’ glove at third and trickled into the outfield. Myers scored, evening the score 7-7.
With a brand new ball game headed into the last inning of regulation, Johnson scorched a single to right to put a runner on for Bartholomew.
Senior left-handed pitcher Serayah Neiss entered the game to face Bartholomew, and she sent one just over the wall in center to put the Cyclones up 9-7 in a back-and-forth affair.
Iowa showed its resiliency, but Iowa State was too much for the Hawkeyes.
Iowa State came back seven runs against Arizona and held on to beat Iowa in back-to-back games.
“As long as we have outs, we always feel like we had a chance,” head coach Jamie Pinkerton said. “So as long as you have an out and you have an opportunity, you gotta keep playing.”
Cyclones capitalize in game one of Cy-Hawk rivalry
Iowa State has proven its dominance over Iowa. The Hawkeyes have only won three games in Division I sports against the Cyclones this year, and the Iowa State softball team made sure that number didn’t change.
The Cyclones were proud to hold their own in the Cy-Hawk rivalry, especially winning in Iowa City.
“It’s so nice. I know we play them again, but obviously, on their home turf like that feels nice,” Johnson said.
