Iowa State Splits Doubleheader with No. 16 Baylor

WACO, Texas – Iowa State split is doubleheader with No. 16 Baylor Saturday at Getterman Stadium. The Cyclones fell in the first game 2-0, but bounced back to defeat the Bears 4-1 in the second game. Iowa State is now 23-22 on the season, 2-9 in Big 12 play. Baylor is 33-12 overall, 7-4 in conference competition.

The Cyclones' win over Baylor in game two marked their first win over Baylor since 2011, ISU's first win in Waco since 2008 and the first win by the Cyclones over a ranked opponent since 2013. Iowa State got ahead with a pair of RBI-singles from Aly Cappaert and Maddie Reese in the first inning and got some insurance runs with a pair in the sixth inning via RBI-singles by Jorden Spendlove and Kelsey McFarland.

Game Two: Iowa State 4 No. 16 Baylor 1
Iowa State got right to work in the top of the first. With Heather Stearns starting again for Baylor, Brittany Gomez fired a single through the left side on the first pitch of the game. The hit moved her up to a career-best 13-game hit streak. Gomez would then get her 26th steal of the season prior to being driven home by Aly Cappaert on an RBI-single to left-center that went off the top of the wall.

After a Lexi Slater single put runners on the corners, ISU rolled the dice as Maddie Reese laid down a squeeze-play bunt. Stearns was late to react and Cappaert slide home safely to double the Iowa State advantage at 2-0.

The game started to become controlled by pitching as Stearns and ISU starter Stacy Roggentien were both outstanding. Baylor finally started to get to Roggentien in the fourth as Ari Hawkins led off with a double and Shelby Friudenberg and Jordan Strickland drew walks to load the bases with just one out. However, Roggentien was able to calm things down, inducing a fly ball by pinch hitter Linsey Hays and then a grounder to third by pinch hitter Christy Lisenby to get out of the jam.

Iowa State tacked on two more in the sixth inning. Cappaert got her second hit of the game and Reese got a base knock to put two in scoring position with one out. Jorden Spendlove fired a shot to second, which was too hot for Hawkins to handle, allowing Cappaert's pinch runner, Kaila Konz to score and make it 3-0 ISU. Kelsey McFarland then made it 4-0 with her second hit of the game, a base hit to left, which allowed Reese to score.

The bottom of the sixth saw Baylor finally get on the board as Friudenberg launched a massive home run over the wall in left to make it 4-1 Baylor. After a Jordan Strickland one-out double, Iowa State brought in Paris Imholz to take over for Roggentien. Imholz's off-speed style befuddled the Baylor hitters as she got Hays and Scroggins both to strike out to keep Strickland stranded on second and ISU ahead by three.

Baylor worked to mount a rally in the bottom of the seventh, as Robin Landrith got a lead-off single and Kaitlyn Thumann drew a walk. That ended Imholz's cameo, as ISU brought Roggentien back in. She got Lindsey Cargill to fly out and Hawkins to strike out to get the first two outs. Friudenberg continued the inning with a single to load the bases, but Roggentien bounced back with a pop up by Sarah Smith to end the game.

Game One: No. 16 Baylor 2 Iowa State 0
Baylor used some small ball to get going in the bottom of the first as both Lindsey Cargill and Ari Hawkins reached on bunt singles. After Shelby Friudenberg fouled out to left, both runs tagged over a bag safely. However, the trio of Cyclones that went after the foul out meant ISU was shorthanded in the infield, with catcher Sammie Hildreth covering third. Cargill smartly noticed this and went to an uncovered home plate to make it 1-0 Baylor.

ISU got a great chance to get back into it in the top of the third as Kelsey McFarland, Nychole Antillon and Brittany Gomez all recorded singles to load the bases with just one out. However, Baylor hurler Heather Stearns stepped up and got the needed outs. She started by getting Cathlin Bingham to strike out and then got Aly Cappaert to ground one to short to get BU out of the jam.

Both starting pitchers were outstanding. After getting out of the bases loaded jam, Stearns did not allow a Cyclone baserunner to get into scoring position the rest of the way. As for Brianna Weilbacher, she continued to be strong the next few innings. She found some trouble in the bottom of the fifth as Robin Landrith walked and Kaitlyn Thumann knocked a double to put two in scoring position with one out. But Weilbacher settled down and was able to get the next two outs without any damage to the scoreboard.

Baylor finally was able to breakthrough and get another run in the bottom of the sixth. Friudenberg drew a walk and Caitlin Charlton posted a single. That saw the end of Weilbacher's day as Stacy Roggentien checked in. After getting Linsey Hays to strike out, Hildreth throw out Friudenberg's pinch runner, Jessica Tomchesson, trying to steal third. However, Jordan Strickland was able to post an insurance run on an RBI single up the middle to give Baylor the final 2-0 result.

On Deck
Iowa State and Baylor will play the third game of the series tomorrow at noon. The rubber game will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest.

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Players Mentioned

Nychole Antillon

Cathlin Bingham

Aly Cappaert

Aly Cappaert

Brittany Gomez

Brittany Gomez

Sammie Hildreth

Paris Imholz

Paris Imholz

Kaila Konz

Kelsey McFarland

Maddie Reese

Maddie Reese

Stacy Roggentien

Stacy Roggentien

Lexi Slater

Lexi Slater

Jorden Spendlove

Jorden Spendlove

Brianna Weilbacher

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