AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (19-23, 4-7 Big 12) trailed Texas Tech (28-21, 2-9 Big 12) heading into the final inning and, although the home team made a valiant effort in scoring three runs in the seventh, the Cyclones could not complete the comeback against the Red Raiders who evened the series with a 6-4 victory on Saturday afternoon. The loss ended Iowa State’s perfect record at the new Cyclones Sports Complex as well.
“We can’t wait until the seventh inning to start hitting,” head coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “If you take out the first [inning], from the second through the sixth there was a big chunk of at-bats that were not the quality as what we need to be productive.”
Down, 6-1, in the seventh, sophomore Lexi Slater led off the frame with a home run, her third of the season, and freshman Brittany Gomez followed with a bunt base hit. Tech third baseman Adriana Perez committed two errors, one fielding and one throwing, on the next play to score Gomez from first and put Maddie Reese on third, cutting the Red Raider lead to 6-3.
After a strikeout of Erica Miller, Tori Torrescano hit a sacrifice fly to score Reese and a Sara Davison single brought the tying run to the play before Aly Cappaert grounded out to first for the final out of the afternoon.
Tech led off the game with three runs in the top of the first on a home run to center field from Katelyn Williams for a 3-0 lead.
Torrescano came through for the Cyclones in the bottom of the first with two outs, hitting a long single to left center field and driving in Reese, who doubled two batters earlier, to cut Tech’s lead to 3-1.
Tech threatened to add to its lead in the fourth, loading the bases with one out for Williams, but instead of driving in more runs, Williams grounded to Davison, who, as in Friday’s game, tagged the runner going to second and threw to first for the double-play to end the inning.
The Red Raider offense picked up three unearned runs in the sixth, getting one run on a Cyclone error and another on a Williams triple. With the bases loaded and two outs, Gretchen Aucoin worked an RBI-walk from reliever Taylor smith, for Tech’s sixth run of the game.
Slater led off the Cyclone’s seventh inning rally with a home run and two more runs came around to score but the Red Raiders would hold on for the win.
Cara Custer (13-12) got the win with six innings in relief a day after starting against Iowa State. Custer allowed three runs, one earned, five hits and walked one while striking out six.
Cyclone freshman starter Riley Smith (2-8) took the loss for Iowa State, giving up three runs on two hits and two walks without recording an out before being pulled for Smith on Saturday. Smith was strong, not allowing an earned run on seven hits and five walks. The junior also struck out four.
Sunday’s series finale between the Cyclones and Red Raiders will begin at noon CDT at the Cyclone Sports Complex.
