ISU Punches Postseason Ticket In Extra-Inning Thriller

Saturday, May 5

Lawrence, Kan.

2:00 PM

Iowa State

23-29, 4-13

Kansas

26-25, 1-16

Iowa State

Kansas

ISU Punches Postseason Ticket In Extra-Inning Thriller

05.05.2018 | Softball

Box Score Box Score

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Iowa State (23-29, 4-13 Big 12) locked in its bid to the 2018 Big 12 Championship with a 4-3 win over Kansas (26-25, 1-16 Big 12) on Saturday at Arrocha Ballpark.

Freshman Skyler Ramos laced the first triple of her career to center field in the top of the eighth inning, and later raced home to score the game-winning run on a KU wild pitch. Senior Nychole Antillon and junior Kaylee Bosworth each launched home runs to spur the offense in the early going.

Iowa State 4, Kansas 3
The Cyclones jumped out to an early lead for the second day in a row, as Sami Williams notched a lead-off double to open the game. Antillon later stepped to the plate and launched a two-out home run to left field, giving Iowa State an early 2-0 advantage.

Iowa State starting pitcher Savannah Sanders was terrific early, holding KU scoreless over the game's first four innings. The junior rang up four strikeouts and allowed just two Jayhawk hits going into the home half of the fifth.

On offense, Iowa State extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the third, courtesy of a solo home run to right center by Kaylee Bosworth. It was the Manvel, Texas, native's seventh homer of the season and ISU's fourth this weekend, extending ISU's single-season school record to 43 on the year.

The Kansas offense came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring three runs on four hits with one Cyclone error. A trio of KU seniors, Erin McGinley, Jessie Roane and Harli Ridling, all came up with RBI base hits in the frame to tie the game at 3-3. Emma Hylen entered in relief with the game tied, one out and runners on second and third, and got Iowa State out of the jam.

Hylen was terrific in relief, going 3.2 innings while giving up no runs on four hits, sending the game to extra innings to set up the late-game heroics by Ramos.

Ramos, a freshman from Ventura, Calif., laced a one-out shot up the middle that made it all the way to the wall in right center field. The speedster raced around the bases and slid safely into third, representing the go-ahead run. A wild pitch by KU pitcher Brynn Minor bounced past the catcher and Ramos took advantage, sliding home to give Iowa State a 4-3 lead.

Hylen and the Cyclone defense slammed the door shut on KU, as Iowa State punched its ticket to Oklahoma City. Iowa State can still improve its standing in tomorrow's series finale, climbing to the No. 5 seed with a win tomorrow.

On Deck
The series finale between Iowa State and Kansas is Sunday at Arrocha Ballpark. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.