Completed Event: Softball versus DMACC on September 17, 2025
Final
Softball
DMACC
Iowa State University Athletics
Thursday, May 11
Oklahoma City, Okla.
10 a.m.
Iowa State University
25-29
8
vs
1
Baylor
39-16
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Iowa State
0
0
2
0
1
1
4
8
16
0
Baylor
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
2
Spelhaug Deals as ISU Downs Baylor in Big 12 Championship
05.11.2023 | Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY – For the second-straight season, Iowa State defeated the Baylor Bears in the first round of the Big 12 Championship, 8-1, and will advance to face top-ranked Oklahoma in the second round on Friday.
Ellie Spelhaug dealt on the day for the Cyclones, pitching a two-hit complete game, not allowing a Baylor hit until the sixth inning. Spelhaug's dominant arm was complimented by the ISU bats as the Cyclones turned in 16 hits on the day, the most in a single game this season. Mother Nature threatened to throw off the game, forcing a half-hour lightning delay halfway through the game. The Cyclones weren't fazed, weathering the delay and delivering a seven-run victory.
Angelina Allen led the way for the Cyclones, earning a career-high four hits on the day, smacking two doubles and earning two RBI. Kasey Simpson and Sarah Tyree also had monster days at the plate as both notched three hits. Tatum Johnson and Milaysia Ochoa rounded out the ISU multi-hit performances. Mikayla Ramos, like Allen, notched two RBI on the day after blasting her seventh homer of the season in the bottom of the seventh.
Ellie Spelhaug was the story of the game, though, as the Cyclone senior turned in arguably her best outing of the season (competing with her outing at Oklahoma State). Spelhaug took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, having allowed just one base runner (on a walk) prior to the bottom of the frame. She shut down a potential Baylor rally in the sixth and earned her eighth win of the year.
How it Happened
The Cyclone bats found some early success, notching three singles across the first two innings but were kept from crossing home as neither team had scored through two.
That changed in the third when the Cyclones were able to convert their baserunners to runs. Milaysia Ochoa kicked the inning off by drawing a four-pitch walk, later advancing to second on a Mikayla Ramos pop-out. An Angelina Allen double to right centerfield would plate Ochoa, putting the Cyclones up 1-0 and leading to a Baylor pitching change. With two outs and Allen on second, Alesia Ranches cashed in with a single through the left side to score Allen and give ISU a 2-0 lead.
Neither team would score in the fourth, but the Cyclones would tack on a third run in the top of the fifth inning. Like the third, the inning began with a walk, this time courtesy of Carli Spelhaug. Spelhaug would go on to steal second and was able to advance to third, thanks to a throwing error from Baylor. With one out and Spelhaug on third, Kasey Simpson sent a single to right field to score the third Cyclone run of the contest.
Following the conclusion of the fifth inning, the game entered a weather delay as lightning struck within the eight-mile radius. After about a half-hour delay, action got back underway at 12:13 p.m. Baylor used the half hour delay to switch pitchers, placing ace righty Dariana Orme in the circle.
For the third time in the game, Ochoa led off the inning for the Cyclones, lining a double to the left centerfield fence to earn her first hit of the day. Ochoa would advance to third on a Ramos flyout before Allen notched her third hit of the day, another double, to bring in Ochoa and push the lead to 4-0.
It wasn't until the sixth inning that the Bears earned their first hit of the game, as Ellie Spelhaug had held Baylor hitless, only allowing one runner via walk. The Bears took advantage of their lone hit, using a Shaylon Govan double to push its run across the plate.
Iowa State continued to apply pressure at the plate in the seventh, plating a quartet of runs to push the Cyclone lead to 8-1. Simpson led the inning off with a single down the right line, which was followed by a Tyree bunt where both her and Simpson reached base. Tatum Johnson would come into the box and hit into a fielder's choice. Baylor settled for one out on the FC and fell asleep as smart running from Simpson scored on the play. An out later, Ochoa stepped up to the plate and laced a single up the middle to score Johnson. With Ochoa on first and two outs, Ramos finally connected on a long ball, smashing a homer over the leftfield fence (226 feet) to extend the Cyclone lead to seven.
Ellie Spelhaug would come back out in the seventh and finish it out, as the senior returned the final three batters in order to earn a two-hit complete game.
Thursday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Mikayla Ramos (7)
Baylor: N/A
WP – Ellie Spelhaug (8-8): 7.0 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – RyLee Crandall (15-5): 2.2 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
On Deck
With the win, Iowa State will advance to face No. 1 seed and top-ranked Oklahoma in the second round of the Big 12 Championship tomorrow, May 12, at 1 p.m. Tomorrow's action will be broadcast on ESPNU.
-ISU-
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Spelhaug, Ellie (8-8)
L: Crandall (15-5)
Batting:
2B: Ochoa, Milaysia 1 ; Allen, Angelina 2
HR: Ramos, Mikayla 1
RBI: Ochoa, Milaysia 1 ; Ramos, Mikayla 2 ; Allen, Angelina 2 ; Ranches, Alesia 1 ; Simpson, Kasey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ochoa, Milaysia 3 ; Ramos, Mikayla 1 ; Allen, Angelina 1 ; Spelhaug, Carli 1 ; Simpson, Kasey 1 ; Johnson, Tatum 1
SB: Spelhaug, Carli 1
CS: Allen, Angelina 1
Batting:
2B: Govan 1
RBI: Govan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wilson 1
HBP: Hott 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
4
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
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