MACOMB, Ill. ? Iowa State scored two runs in the eighth inning to capture its fourth extra inning win of the season, defeating Western Illinois, 5-3, in the second game of the doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at McKee Stadium.
Alex Johnson's fifth homer of the season in the sixth inning closed the gap to 3-1 and Ashley Killeen made it a one-run game with her single to score Ariel Coburn, who walked with one-out.
In the seventh, Johnson doubled to left field to plate Kristy Olsen and tie the game at 3-3. The Cyclones took their first lead in the eighth as Holly Jordan, who was placed on second to begin the inning with the international tie breaker in effect, came in to score on a fielder's choice off the bat of pinch hitter Kristen Karanzias, who reached first as Jordan beat out the throw to home.
Iowa State tacked on an insurance run on Olsen's infield single that plated Karanzias. On the play, Fallon Johnson was gunned down at home for the second out and Christina Drankiewicz got Courtney Wray to fly out to center to end the inning.
Alyssa Ransom (6-7) shut down the Westerwinds in the eighth and picked up her second win of the day in relief of Charissa Carlin.
Western Illinois struck first in the second game as Jennifer Garcia reached third on a double and an error by the Cyclones. Garcia came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Amy Douglas, giving the Westerwinds a 1-0 edge after the first.
Johnson finished the game 2-for-2 with a pair of runs batted in. The freshman from Raymore, Mo., now has 42 hits on the season, just three shy of the Iowa State freshmen record, which was set in 1996 by Erin Woods.
Kristy Olsen and Katie Reichling each chipped in a pair of hits in the win.
Drankiewicz (0-3) took the loss for Western Illinois, allowing two runs in relief of starter Kim King.
Iowa State will open Big 12 play this weekend as it travels to College Station, Texas to face No. 3 Texas A&M. The Cyclones and Aggies will play Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at noon.