AMES — The first frame featured fireworks, and St. Thomas held a 4-2 lead. The Cyclones scraped across two runs to even the score in the third.
Right-handed pitcher Jaiden Ralston entered in the second inning following Ava Mullen’s rough outing and has been lights out.
Both teams failed to score in the fourth and fifth, leading to a fun ending to the contest.
Iowa State had the top of its order up to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore outfielder Jessie Clemons laid a bunt down the first base line, a couple of yards from the catcher. She reached safely, and the Cyclones got a runner on with no outs.
Senior outfielder Tatum Johnson was next and followed Clemons’ lead. She waited back on a changeup and met the ball with her barrel to poke it in between the first and second basemen.
Iowa State was back in business with two runners on for its best hitter, senior third baseman Reagan Bartholomew.
Bartholomew displayed her great discipline with a walk on a 3-2 count to load the bases.
Senior first baseman Sydney Malott tapped one to the pitcher, who quickly fired the ball home for a forceout. The bases were still loaded for sophomore second baseman Kadence Shepherd with one out.
The Tommies had their infield in to try and nail the runner at home, and they got the ground ball to second that they wanted. However, the throw from the second baseman was too late, and Johnson was safe at home. The Cyclones took the lead 5-4.
The next batter, sophomore catcher Karlee Ford, recorded yet another sacrifice fly to center to score Bartholomew.
Senior pinch-hitter Isabelle Nosan drew a walk to load the bases again, but sophomore outfielder Hayleigh Oliver hit into a fielder’s choice on the first pitch she saw.
The Cyclones concluded the frame up two, and St. Thomas had to go into desperation mode, but Iowa State wasn’t out of the woods yet.
The Tommies didn’t go down without a fight, as Avery Wukawitz smashed a line-drive home run over the center field wall to give St. Thomas life.
Junior pitcher Lauren Schurman came into the circle for Ralston to shut the door. The Tommies’ three-hitter Cassidy Carby drew a walk on a full count.
St. Thomas’ dual-threat pitcher and power-hitter Ella Cook stepped up with a runner on base to redeem herself for her performance on the rubber.
Cook hit a fly ball to left that looked like it might make it out of play, but it curled back in play and into the glove of Clemons as she collided with the left-field fence.
Schurman had St. Thomas down to its final strike, and on a full count to the Tommies catcher, Kameron Monson, she got plunked to move a runner into scoring position.
Iowa State had its back against the wall, but Schurman struck out Tommy outfielder Morgan Klein to seal the victory for the Cyclones in game one of the doubleheader.
