Cyclones Win In Walk-Off Fashion To Split Saturday

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Iowa State (8-10) split a pair of games at the Red Desert Classic on Saturday, falling 9-1 to Nevada (11-6) before a 2-1 extra-inning victory over Utah State (11-4). Freshman Talyn Lewis went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run, a double and scored the game-winning run in the victory, while senior Rachel Hartman collected the walk-off RBI single.

Nevada 9, Iowa State 1
The Cyclones fell in six innings in game one of the day, with a 9-1 final that did not reveal the competitiveness of the match-up. The Wolfpack struck first with runs in the bottom of the first and the fourth, both on RBI singles off Cyclone starter Brianna Weilbacher.

Sophomore Kirsten Caudle responded for the Cyclones in the top of the fifth inning. Caudle hit a blistering shot down the right field line, clearing the fence for her first home run of the season, and the second of her career. The dinger brought Iowa State to within 2-1.

Nevada responded with a solo shot of their own in the ensuing frame, and then broke the game open in the home half of the sixth inning. The Wolfpack poured on six runs, winning the game by run-rule on a Melissa Arriaga RBI single with the bases loaded to go ahead 9-1.

Iowa State 2, Utah State 1
The Cyclones bounced back in thrilling fashion in the second game of the day, winning their first extra-inning outing of the season. It was also the program's first extra-inning victory since an 8-7 win over Eastern Illinois on Feb. 12, 2016.

The Aggies, who entered the game fresh off an extra-inning win over Binghamton, scored first on a solo home run off the bat of Sydney Hart in the top of the second inning. However, Cyclone starter Savannah Sanders and the ISU defense held the Nevada offense at bay from that point forward. Sanders went 7.0 innings, giving up one run on just four hits before Brianna Weilbacher entered in relief.

Talyn Lewis provided the Cyclones with the spark they were looking for in the bottom of the fourth inning. The freshman crushed her team-leading fourth home run of the season with nobody on and no outs to knot the game at 1-1.

The Burlington, Wisconsin native came up huge once again in extra innings, leading off the bottom of the eighth by crushing a double to right-center. Lewis would later advance to third on a Utah State wild pitch, setting up the game-winner. Senior Rachel Hartman stepped to the plate next and laced the walk-off RBI single to center, giving the Cyclones a 2-1 victory.

On Deck
Iowa State closes out the St. George Red Desert Classic on Sunday with a 2:30 p.m. CT match-up vs. Utah Valley.

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Team Stats

Cathlin Bingham

Kelsey McFarland

Kirsten Caudle

Nychole Antillon

Players Mentioned

Kirsten Caudle

Rachel Hartman

Talyn Lewis

Savannah Sanders

Brianna Weilbacher

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics