Iowa State Softball Hits Past Kansas, 3-2

LAWRENCE, Kan. ? Kim Rodgers hit her second home run of the season and Ashley Killeen added a double to help lead Iowa State to a 3-2 win over the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday afternoon at KU's Arrocha Ballpark. The win improves ISU's record to 13-29 overall and 3-12 in Big 12 play. Pitcher Alyssa Ransom had a good day on the mound, striking out five Kansas batters to improve her record to 10-17 on the year.

The Jayhawks fall to 30-16-1 overall and 6-11 in league play. Reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week Kassie Humphreys and Kara Pierce split time on the mound for KU, with Humphreys taking the loss.

Freshman Fallon Johnson also had a double for ISU, while senior Julia Lindsey and freshman Jennifer Bigbee had two hits apiece. Cary Akins, Jessica Quade and Kelly Wardein also added hits for ISU.

The game was scoreless through the first inning and a half until Kansas scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning when Jayhawk Melanie Wallach scored off a Serena Settlemier double. Settlemier scored moments later off a Jessica Moppin single.

The Cyclones jumped on the board in the third inning when Akins scored from first off of Killeen's double to cut the Kansas lead to 2-1 after three innings.

Iowa State had a solid inning in the fourth when it added two runs to take a 3-2 advantage. With one out, Rodgers hit a home run to center field for her sixth RBI of the season. Bigbee followed with a single to right in the Cyclones' next at bat. Ashley Core, who came in to pinch run for Bigbee, scored on an RBI double by Johnson on the next play. It was Johnson's first double of the season and Core's eighth run scored this season.

The ISU defense maintained the lead for the rest of the game, holding the Jayhawks without a hit and only allowing KU base runners on with an error in the fifth and issuing a walk in the seventh.

The Cyclones close out the regular season on Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest with the Jayhawks.