Iowa State Loses to Texas Tech in Extra Innings

AMES, Iowa ? With the game tied at two, visiting Texas Tech scored three unanswered runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat Iowa State, 5-2, Sunday afternoon at the Southwest Athletic Complex. There was a combined 12 hits between the two teams and six different pitchers entered the game. The Cyclones fall to 12-17 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12, while the Red Raiders improve to 22-11 on the year and 2-2 in league action.

The Cyclones jumped on the scoreboard first when sophomore Katie Reichling slammed a home run over the left field fence for her second homer of the year. Texas Tech answered right away in the top of the third. Designated hitter Ashley Parker hit a single to right field. Center fielder Natalie Enderlin then grounded out to the pitcher, advancing Parker to second. Jennifer Corkin then hit an RBI single to left center, scoring Parker. After two innings, the game was tied at one.

ISU scored again in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior Cary Akins started the Cyclone at bat by hitting a double to right field. Sophomore Jennifer Bigbee reached base on a fielder's choice and Akins advanced to third on an error by Texas Tech's third baseman. After sophomore Ashley Killeen grounded out to third base, sophomore Jessica Quade hit an RBI single to the short stop, sending Akins across the plate for the score. Texas Tech answered right away in the top of the sixth when Corkin homered to right center. After six innings, the score was tied at two.

With neither team being able to do anything in the seventh and the eighth innings, Texas Tech found a way to win the game in the ninth inning. Red Raider first baseman Brandy Moulin reached base off an error by ISU first baseman Quade and advanced to second on a passed ball. Short stop Heather Parker struck out swinging, but reached first base on a passed ball, advancing Moulin to third. Parker then stole second. After a Jennifer Bowers ground out, third baseman Natalie Kula singled to left field to score Moulin and send Parker to third. Pitcher Erin Crawford then put the final nail in the game by hitting a double, which scored both Parker and Kula. The Cyclones had one more chance in the bottom of the inning, but three ground outs in a row ended the game with a Texas Tech 5-2 win.

“We just haven't learned to play with a lot of confidence yet,” head coach Ruth Crowe said. “We hope things will happen instead of making them happen. Texas Tech really stepped it up when they needed to and we didn't. Collectively, as a team, we are just not doing the things we need to do to win.”

The Cyclones had five hits, but three costly errors in the game. All three of ISU's pitchers, Katie Reichling, Kristen Karanzias and Alyssa Ransom, made an appearance in the game, combining for five strikeouts. Karanzias picked up her second loss of the season, her record falling to 0-2.

Iowa State will take another break from league action when it plays host to Northern Iowa on Tuesday at the Southwest Athletic Complex. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

Next Event

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics