Iowa State Falls To Illinois, 9-2

SACRAMENTO, Calif. ? Illinois scored five runs in the fifth inning to break open a close game and defeat Iowa State, 9-2, in the first game of the Capital Classic at the Sacramento Softball Complex.

The Illini (12-9) hit around in the fifth and used a two-run homer from Shanna Diller en route to a five-run inning. An error by the Cyclones (12-21) allowed another run to score and Sydney Lisy and pitcher Vicky Brown each added run scoring singles, making it 9-2.

Five Illini players recorded two hits in the game, led by Diller and Makenzie Smith, who drove in two and three runs, respectively.

Katie Reichling finished 1-for-3 with a solo homer in the second inning to lead Iowa State. Fallon Johnson, a native of Sacramento, finished the game 1-for-2 with a walk. Johnson also stole the 21^st base of her career, moving her into a tie with Robyn Riedler for sixth on the all-time charts.

Illinois got on the board early with a three-run first inning that was highlighted by Smith's homer to right field that scored Diller and Kisten Miller.

Reichling then belted her fourth homer of the season off of Illinois' Brown to cut into the lead. The Cyclones added one more as Kristen Karanzias singled to drive Holly Jordan and bring ISU within one at 3-2.

Jordan, a freshman from Erie, Colo., had pinch ran for Ashley Killeen, who hit the 26^th double of her career to move into a tie with Erin Woods for ninth on the all-time ISU list.

That was all the closer the Cyclones would get as Illinois bats heated up for one run in the fourth and the five-run fifth to push its lead to 9-2.

Alyssa Ransom (2-5) got the loss for Iowa State. The senior from Round Rock, Texas allowed four runs on five hits in four innings of work. She struck out three to become just the third Cyclone to surpass 400 career strikeouts.

Brown (8-3) was credited with the win for Illinois. She limited the Cyclones to five hits while allowing just the two runs in the second inning.

Iowa State will be back in action tonight as it faces the host, Sacramento State, in a 7:30 p.m. contest. The Cyclones and Hornets (5-14) split a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon, with both games going to extra innings.

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Players Mentioned

Fallon Johnson

Fallon Johnson

Holly Jordan

Kristen Karanzias

Kristen Karanzias

Ashley Killeen

Ashley Killeen

Alyssa Ransom

Alyssa Ransom

Katie Reichling

Katie Reichling

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