AMES – Iowa State (24-16, 5-9 Big 12) and No. 19 Oklahoma State (26-11, 8-6 Big 12) battled to a split decision Friday afternoon, as each side claimed a victory in the series-opening doubleheader.
A four-run first inning proved too much to overcome for the Cyclones in game one, as the Cowgirls continued to add on, backing up a strong performance from Ruby Meylan in the circle as OSU went on to take the opener, 8-3.
The Cyclones responded emphatically in the second contest, blasting the 19th-ranked team by a score of 12-0 in five innings. Iowa State plated 12 runs on 13 hits, evening the series up at one apiece.
Oklahoma State 8, Iowa State 3
Oklahoma State plated the first four runs of the game and never looked back, leading by as many as seven in the contest. The Cyclones got some late offensive production, but it wasn’t enough against the talented Meylan.
Iowa State scattered six hits across six players, with both Reagan Bartholomew and Karlee Ford picking up RBI. Ford’s RBI came on her fifth homer of the season. Four pitchers saw the circle in the loss.
Aubrey Jones and Lexi McDonald led OSU at the plate, combining to hit for five of the team’s 11 knocks. Ruby Meylan (16-6) was the story, though, as the senior fanned seven in a complete game effort.
How it Happened
No. 19 Oklahoma State opened game one with some quality two-out at-bats. After seeing the first two players retired, the Cowgirls would earn four free passes and collect three hits to plate four and take an early 4-0 lead.
The Cyclones would get a run back in the bottom of the second thanks to Ford, who mashed a ball over the left field fence to put ISU on the board and trim the deficit to three.
Following a scoreless third, Oklahoma State added on in the fourth. An RBI groundout from Tia Warsop and an RBI double from Rosie Davis would do the damage, putting OSU up, 6-1.
The Cowgirls would add two more runs in the fifth and the sixth to drive the lead to seven, leading 8-1.
The Cyclones would plate two late, but it wasn’t enough as they fell to OSU in game one of the series, 8-3.