Cyclones Fall To Baylor On Walk-Off Homer

WACO, Texas - Jordan Vannatta hit a two-run walk-off homer to lift Baylor past Iowa State, 9-7, in Big 12 action Saturday afternoon at Getterman Stadium. With the loss, Iowa State falls to 25-22 overall and 3-8 in Big 12 play.

Vannatta's homer, her seventh of the year, helped complete an improbable Baylor (25-19, 5-8) rally.

The Cyclones tallied six first inning runs, aided by Alex Johnson's grand slam, to take control early.

Carleigh Berry opened the inning with a single and advanced when Kelsey Kidwell reached on a fielder's choice. After an Erica Miller single off the wall in left scored Berry, Wray grounded out and Jones walked to load the bases. The walk tied Jones for the school record with her 24th free pass of the season.

Then Johnson, who had been hitless in her previous 11 at bats, lifted a drive well over the left field wall for the grand slam, making it 5-0 Cyclones. The homer was Johnson's fifth of the season and the 23rd of her career and the four runs batted in gave her 30 this season, which makes her the first player in school history to drive in 30 runs in three different seasons.

Iowa State's last run of the inning came on Heidi Kidwell's single that scored Amanda Bradberry, who had reached on an error.

After a scoreless second, Baylor was able to put a crooked number on the board with a six-run inning of its own in the third. The inning was highlighted by Bree Hanafin's three run-shot to left field.

Iowa State then took advantage of a costly Lady Bear error in the fourth to go ahead 7-6. With Carleigh Berry on second, Miller hit a routine grounder to third but the first baseman Hanafin dropped the throw over allowing her to reach. Berry was running all the way and beat the throw home for the Cyclones' seventh run of the game.

As had been the case all game long, Baylor had an answer in the bottom of the fourth. Vannatta recorded a two-out RBI single to tie it at 7-7.

The game settled down with scoreless fifth and sixth innings and Baylor pitcher Courtney Repka gave the Lady Bears a chance with a scoreless top of the seventh.

After Nicole Wesley singled to center to lead off the inning, Vanatta stepped in and blasted the game-winner over the wall in left center.

The teams combined for 20 hits, with Baylor holding a 12-8 edge.

Berry, Heidi Kidwell, Miller and Johnson each collected two hits for the Cyclones in the loss. Kidwell now has 57 hits this season, moving her into a tie for seventh with Lisa Leinen on the single-season charts.

Baylor had five players with two hits each, led by Vanatta and Hanafin, who each finished with three runs batted in as well.

Zabriskie (20-14) suffered the loss, giving up a career-high tying nine runs, only four of which were earned. The junior fanned three to tie her with Suzanne Wedemeier for the most strikeouts in a single season with 233.

Iowa State and Baylor will close the series Sunday at noon.

Baylor 9, Iowa State 7 (4-24-2010 at Waco, Texas)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Iowa State.......... 600 100 0 - 7 8 1 (25-22, 3-8)
Baylor.............. 006 100 2 - 9 12 2 (25-19, 5-8)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Iowa State - Zabriskie, Rachel and Johnson, Alex. Baylor - Repka, Courtney and
Nieten, Courtney.
Win-Repka, Courtney(17-13) Loss-Zabriskie, Rachel(20-14) T-1:41 A-1124
HR IS - Johnson, Alex (5).
HR BU - Vannatta, Jordan (7); Hanafin, Bree (6).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Amanda Bradberry

Amanda Bradberry

Alex Johnson

Alex Johnson

Heidi Kidwell

Heidi Kidwell

Kelsey Kidwell

Kelsey Kidwell

Erica Miller

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics