Cyclones Fall In Game One At Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Iowa State softball team (20-33, 1-15 Big 12) fell in game one of its series at Kansas (29-20, 6-9 Big 12) by a score of 11-5 on Thursday at Arrocha Ballpark.

Senior Brittany Gomez moved further up the Big 12's all-time hitting list, as her RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the fourth was career hit No. 294. She is now 3^rd on the league's career hits list with 296. In total, Gomez went 3-of-5 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored.

Kansas 11, Iowa State 5
ISU senior Aly Cappaert doubled in the opening frame, but was left stranded, followed by a difficult start for the Iowa State defense in the home half of the inning. Errors plagued the Cyclones, as the first two KU batters of the game reached on ISU miscues. Both Jayhawk runners ended up scoring, and Kansas brought in one more on a sacrifice fly to take a 3-0 lead before starter Savannah Sanders and the ISU defense got out of the inning.

Hope Scheffert led off the third inning with a single to right, and the Cyclones moved her over to third. With runners on the corners, junior Cathlin Bingham smacked an RBI single to left, scoring Scheffert and putting the first ISU run of the day on the board. However, the Jayhawks responded in the bottom of the third to extend their lead to 4-1.

The Cyclones took their first lead of the day in the top of the fourth, as Nychole Antillon and Kaila Konz opened the inning with a single and a double, respectively. Scheffert later loaded the bases, beating out an infield hit. Gomez came the plate and hit an RBI single up the middle, scoring Konz and cutting the deficit to 4-2.

Iowa State cut further into the lead, as Bingham reached on a KU error, bringing Scheffert in to score from third. Cappaert then collected a pair of RBIs on her second hit of the day. The senior smacked one up the middle, scoring Gomez and Kirsten Caudle, giving the Cyclones a 5-4 advantage.

Kansas knotted the game at 5-5 in the ensuing inning on an RBI double from Briana Evans. The Jayhawks then took control of momentum in the sixth frame. Daniella Chavez started the inning with a solo home run as KU retook the lead. Later in the inning, Taylor Dodson got ahold of a Sanders pitch for a two-run shot, extending the lead to 8-5. Following the second homer, freshman Emma Hylen entered in relief of Sanders. Mandi Moore entered later in the inning to spell Hylen, as KU tacked on three additional runs to go ahead 11-5.

On Deck
The Cyclones and Jayhawks are set to play game two of their series on Friday at Arrocha Ballpark. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Nychole Antillon

Cathlin Bingham

Aly Cappaert

Kirsten Caudle

Brittany Gomez

Emma Hylen

Kaila Konz

Mandi Moore

Savannah Sanders

Hope Scheffert

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