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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Iowa State (7-5) was in control for the majority of Saturday morning’s game, before a rampant seventh inning powered Delaware (7-4) to an 8-7 walk-off win.
The Cyclones led 6-1 heading into the seventh inning, as freshman Lauren Schurman was spinning a gem in the circle. The first year from Delaware had allowed just one run on two hits through six full innings. She went into the sixth and got the first two batters to ground out and fly out before the Blue Hens went on a two-out hitting streak.
Angelina Allen had another monster game for the Cyclones, as the junior went 3-for-3 at the plate, also drawing a walk. Allen drove in a run and also scored a pair. Milaysia Ochoa matched Allen with three hits of her own, also scoring a pair of runs.
Ashley Minor had three RBI, with all three coming off a homer that just cleared the left field wall. Alesia Ranches also had multiple RBI on the morning, driving in two with a first-inning double that went all the way to the right center field wall. Ranches played in her 200th game as a Cyclone on the day.
Schurman went the distance for the Cyclones, pitching 6.2 innings.
Delaware saw seven different players record a hit, with Gianna Costrato leading the way with three RBI. Delaware scored five of its runs on a pair of homers in the bottom of the seventh.
Saturday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Ashley Minor (2)
Delaware: Gianna Costraro (5), Julia Boyet
WP – Emily Winburn (5-1): 3.2 IP, 2 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Lauren Schurman (1-1): 6.2 IP, 7 hits, 7 runs, 2 walks, 0 strikeouts
On Deck
The Cyclones are back in action at Palmer Park later this afternoon when they face off with host-school Virginia. Today’s second game is scheduled for 2:30 CT and will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra on ESPN+.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Via godrakebulldogs.com)– The Drake men’s basketball team did not stop UNI in transition for most of the game as the Bulldogs were bested by the Panthers, 91-77 inside the McLeod Center on Saturday evening.
UNI (16-13, 10-8 in Missouri Valley Conference play) outscored Drake (23-6, 14-4) on fast breaks by a 25-10 margin and answered every Drake rebuttal throughout the night. 17 of those fast break points occurred in the first half.
“I thought UNI was more aggressive in all areas,” head coach Darian DeVries said. “The offensive rebounds allowed were killers for us in the second half. We didn’t respond the way we needed to for a portion of the night.”
The action in the first half picked up in the final five minutes before halftime after Trey Campbell hit a quick layup for a 35-27 UNI advantage and a Drake timeout. The Bulldogs responded out of the timeout with an 8-0 run to tie the game 35-35, following the sequence of an Overton steal and Garland layup with 3:49 left.
Tucker DeVries had 12 first half points including a nice move in the lane to tie the game, 39-39 with 1:17 remaining in the opening half. DeVries finished with a game-high 28 points on 10-21 shooting from the field.
Nate Heise closed out the first half with a pair of layups as UNI took a 43-39 edge into the locker room at halftime.
Drake came out energized to start the second half with a 6-0 spurt for a 45-43 lead that did not last long. The Panthers answered with an efficient 12-0 run to move ahead 55-45 with 16:54 still to play.
DeVries ducked inside and scooped in a bucket while drawing a foul as the Bulldogs clawed back, trailing 57-53 at the 14:12 mark of the second half.
Once again, the visitors from Des Moines trimmed the deficit to two possessions halfway through the second stanza, but the Panthers always had an answer. Jacob Hutson drilled a wing triple for a 73-65 advantage.
With 7:09, a Heise turnaround jumper pushed the margin back to 10 points and UNI led by double figures for the rest of the game before claiming a 91-77 decision.
UNI shot 55.4 percent (31-56) for the game led by Tytan Anderson’s 18 point and 18 rebound double-double. Heise just missed a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds. Hutson was 4-5 from the field, but three of those makes were from long distance.
“The biggest thing is that you can’t let this one cost another one,” Darian DeVries said. “It’s time to refocus and play better.”
Drake will play its final regular season road game at UIC on Wednesday, Feb. 28. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside Credit Union 1 Arena.
Team Notes
Individual Notes
The Series
AMES, Iowa (Via IowaCyclones.com) – In a game where No. 6 Iowa State struggled to score its defense saved the day. Iowa State (21-6, 10-4 Big 12) forced 23 turnovers, including seven in a five-minute stretch late in the second half, in a 71-64 victory over West Virginia (9-18, 4-10 Big 12) Saturday afternoon in Hilton Coliseum.
The Cyclones went 0-of-6 from 3-point range in the second half but ramped up their defense when needed to remain unbeaten at home at 16-0.
ISU trailed in the second half of a home game for the first time in six games when WVU’s Kobe Johnson hit a 3-pointer to give the Mountaineers the lead at 51-50 with 9:05 remaining.
ISU then suffocated the Mountaineers, who committed seven turnovers, during a critical 14-0 run to put the game out of reach. Tamin Lipsey led the Cyclones with 14 points and six assists and Curtis Jones added 12 points and had two of ISU’s 14 steals, the 15th time this season ISU has recorded double-digit thefts in a game.
It marked the 10th time this season an ISU opponent has registered 20 or more miscues.
How It Happened
West Virginia made 4-of-6 shots, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, to race out to an early 11-2 lead. Iowa State began chipping away, however. Curtis Jones came off the bench and knocked down a pair of triples in a 11-1 run to give the Cyclones their first lead.
Keshon Gilbert then scored three baskets and Milan Momcilovic drained a 3-pointer to give ISU a 24-19 advantage with 8:30 remaining in the first half.
After a Mountaineer basket, ISU went on a 7-0 run behind a pair of buckets from Jackson Paveletzke and the Cyclone lead increased to 31-21. Lipsey made a pair of 3-pointers in the final three minutes to help the Cyclones go into the break with a 40-30 advantage.
WVU scored on its first four possessions of the second half to trim the Cyclone lead to 44-40 before first media timeout. Jesse Edwards had five points for the Mountaineers.
When Josiah Harris converted a 3-point play on a baseline drive and Johnson hit a 3-pointer, the Mountaineers retook the lead at 51-50 with 9:05 remaining in the game. It was the first time ISU trailed in the second half at home since in six games (Houston).
But the Cyclones bounced back with stingy defense the next five minutes during their pivotal 14-0 run to move ahead 64-51 with 3:27 remaining.
Key Performer
Tamin Lipsey was 4-of-9 from the field and 2-of-2 from 3-point range en route to his team-high 14 points. Lipsey also recorded two steals to increase his season total to 73, tying for the third-best single-season total in school history. His 73 thefts on the year are also an ISU sophomore record.
Up Next
Iowa State remains at home, playing host to Oklahoma on Wednesday (Feb. 28). Tipoff is at 7 p.m. CT on Big 12 Network/ESPN+.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Iowa men’s basketball team fell to 12th-ranked Illinois, 95-85, on Saturday afternoon at the State Farm Center. The Hawkeyes fall to 16-12 overall and 8-9 in Big Ten play.
Sophomore Josh Dix led Iowa in the scoring column with 20 points — one point off his career high. He made 9-of-15 field goals, including two 3-pointers. Dix was the only Hawkeye to make multiple 3-pointers as he led Iowa in scoring in the second half with 11 points.
Senior Tony Perkins scored 18 points to go along with eight rebounds and four assists. The guard also led Iowa on the defensive end with two steals.
Graduate Ben Krikke scored 15 points on an efficient 7-of-9 (77.8%) from the field to go along with five rebounds. Junior Payton Sandfort was the final Hawkeye in double figures, finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds.
The first 20-minutes of play featured 11 lead changes and six ties. The Hawkeyes used a 12-4 run starting at the eight-minute mark to take a four-point lead. Perkins had 11 points and five rebounds in the first half.
Iowa was hot from the field, shooting 18-of-29 (62.1 percent). Illinois grabbed eight offensive rebounds but just had four second chance points. At the end of the break, Iowa trailed, 44-43.
The Hawkeyes took the lead at the start of the second half with a layup from Dix. The Hawkeyes held onto that lead until the 10-minute mark.
Illinois took control with just under six-minutes remaining. Iowa shot 12-of-34 (35.3%) from the field and just 1-of-6 (16.7%) from 3 in the second 20 minutes.
Iowa shot 47.6 percent from the field and went 4-of-12 from deep in the game. Iowa stayed hot at the free throw line shooting, 21-of-25 (84 percent). Illinois’ Coleman Hawkins led all scorers with 30 points on 9-of-11 shooting. No other Illinois player scored over 12 points.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH FRAN MCCAFFERY
“We had a couple opportunities to score, and we didn’t. It would have been nice if we did in that situation because we got a couple stops.”
“[Josh] was great. He’s been great. An impressive thing about him is he does play both ends. He fights you on defense. He scores the ball. He makes really good decisions. I’m really impressed with him.”
“All I’m thinking about is one game. Obviously, Penn State at home. They had a really good win today. They are playing at a very high level. A lot of guys playing well. We’ve got to be ready for that one.”
“I mean the league is the best it’s been top to bottom. Everybody’s good. You can’t look at the next game and say okay we can get that one. You can’t do that ever in this league. So, you just got to try to put a game plan together. Try to keep your guys healthy if you can because the minutes are piling up.”
GAME NOTABLES
UP NEXT
Iowa returns home to host Penn State on Tuesday on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will tipoff at 8 p.m. (CT).
GENEVA, Ohio – University of Iowa Track and Field closed the Big Ten Indoor Championships with six All-Big Ten finishes this weekend at Spire Academy.
The Hawkeyes earned five second-place finishes on Saturday. The women’s team placed third with 73 points, matching the highest finish in program history. The men’s team finished sixth with 58 points.
In the men’s heptathlon, senior Austin West posted a personal-best 5,975 points, good for a silver medal and the sixth-best total in the country this season.
West posted personal records in three of seven events, including the pole vault (4.40 meters) and 1,000-meter race (2:32.65) on Saturday. West was victorious in the heptathlon 1,000 meters. He competed alongside teammate Sal Capaldo, who placed sixth overall with a personal-best 5,276 points.
In the women’s 60-meter hurdles, senior Paige Magee finished second with a time of 8.01. Magee finished just five-thousandths of a second behind Michigan’s Aasia Laurencin. Teammate Tionna Tobias took fifth with a time of 8.31.
Senior Kalen Walker earned silver in the men’s 60 meters, running 6.61. Senior Joe Stein also placed in the event, taking seventh (6.78).
In the women’s 600 meters, redshirt sophomore Chloe Larsen ran 1:28.66 to finish second. Sophomore Gabby Cortez was close behind in third place (1:29.22).
Magee also took third place in the women’s 200 meters (23.64) racing alongside junior Lia Love (23.89).
Magee closed out the day as part of a 3:34.29 performance in the women’s 4×400-meter relay that now ranks 7th in program history. Magee joined teammates Audrey Biermann, Ali Dorn, and Nylah Perry in the effort, which was good for a runner-up finish.
Elsewhere, senior Alli Bookin-Nosbisch finished the women’s 800 meters with a time of 2:05.55 for third place, and senior Kat Moody threw 16.76 meters (55’ 0”) for fourth place in the shot put.
HEAR FROM DIRECTOR OF TRACK AND FIELD JOEY WOODY
“I was really proud of how the women came out and competed today, especially. We didn’t have a great first day overall as a team. I thought we got the momentum going last night a little with the DMR. Then, they came out and really got after it today. They knew their backs were against the wall. They had to compete the best that they could to actually be one of the top three teams, and I thought they did a tremendous job all the way through. I was really excited for how the women competed.
“I thought both 4×4 teams competed well at the end of the meet. The good thing is that this will leave a sour taste in our mouth, because we expect more. Our women, I thought, had the team to win a championship this weekend. The good thing is, having a sour taste in our mouths when we place third definitely shows that we have something big on the horizon. I think we can get it done in the outdoor season. The men’s team just didn’t have the athletes available that we needed to do what we expected to do. I am still proud of how the guys competed.
“This league is getting tougher every championship, and it just shows what it takes to win. We have got to have everybody competing. You can’t have all our best athletes sitting at home. We have a lot that are at home who we need to show up during outdoor season and contribute.”
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Boston, Massachusetts, from March 6-9.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – University of Iowa Swimming and Diving posted the program’s second-fastest time in the 400 Freestyle relay at the Big Ten Championships inside the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center on Saturday evening.
Sabina Kupcova, Jenna Kerr, Olivia Swalley and Scarlet Martin clocked a 3:19.26 to skyrocket to second all-time at Iowa. Additionally, Kupcova’s leadoff leg of 50.14 moved her to fourth in school history.
The relay team reached the podium and placed eighth.
“We are so proud of this team,” head coach Nathan Mundt said. “Overall at this year’s championships, our team scored 303 points compared to 198 last year. We have seen significant improvement and continue to get better one day at a time. Our 400 free relay capped off the meet in exciting fashion, placing eighth overall to earn a spot on the podium. We narrowly missed the school record. We are excited for the future.”
The Hawkeyes wrapped up the competition with five finalists on Saturday. Diver Geneva Pauly earned Iowa’s highest placing, clinching a B final appearance in the platform diving competition. Pauly would ultimately finish 13th after ripping multiple dives and tallying 222.25 points.
The Hawkeyes double dipped in the C final of the 200 backstroke and were represented by senior Kennedy Gilbertson and junior Annie Galvin. Gilbertson and Galvin clocked sub-2:00 times in the finals, with Gilbertson touching the wall in 1:57.65 and Galvin finishing in 1:58.65. The duo placed 18th and 22nd, respectively.
Martin placed in the top 20 in the 200 butterfly, swimming a 1:59.64. The Iowa City, Iowa, native would claim 19th overall.
Swalley concluded a strong debut at the Big Ten Championships, finding herself in another final. This time, Swalley qualified for the C final of the 200 breaststroke and earned 22nd place (2:15.06).
In the long distance 1,650 freestyle event, the Hawkeyes notched personal bests from Kerr (16:37.01), Olivia Frantum (17:06.78) and Meredith O’Malley (17:26.64).
Iowa returns to competition with the NCAA Zone Diving event March 11-13 in Houston, Texas. Days later, the Hawkeyes are scheduled to compete at the CSCAA National Invitational from March 14-16 in Ocala, Florida.
HAWKEYE RESULTS
100 Freestyle prelims
27. Sabina Kupcova – 50.38
43. Molly Pedersen – 51.70
48. Josie Hood – 51.97
53. Megan Hartlieb – 54.03
Exh. Madison Stone – 53.48
200 Backstroke prelims
20. Annie Galvin – 1:59.67, C Finalist qualifier
24. Kennedy Gilbertson – 2:00.57, C Finalist qualifier
27. Hope Schimming – 2:02.07
30. Addie Crain – 2:07.98
Exh. Anna Pfeiffer – 2:06.05
200 Backstroke finals
18. Kennedy Gilbertson – 1:57.65
22. Annie Galvin – 1:58.65
200 Breaststroke prelims
21. Olivia Swalley – 2:15.72, C Finalist qualifier
Exh. Meredith O’Malley – 2:30.45
200 Breaststroke finals
22. Olivia Swalley – 2:15.06
200 Butterfly prelims
20. Scarlet Martin – 2:00.76, C Finalist qualifier
31. Mallory Kell – 2:05.89
32. Leslie Wendel – 2:08.59
33. Olivia Asay – 2:10.42
200 Butterfly finals
19. Scarlet Martin – 1:59.64
1,650 Freestyle
19. Jenna Kerr – 16:37.01, PR
22. Alix O’Brien – 16:53.30
27. Olivia Frantum – 17:06.78, PR
Exh. Meredith O’Malley – 17:26.64, PR
400 Freestyle Relay
8. Kupcova, Kerr, Swalley, Gilbertson – 3:19.26
Kupcova – 50.14 leadoff leg 4th at Iowa (100 Free)
Platform Dive prelims
14. Geneva Pauly – 215.20, B Final qualifier
30. Simone Beinlich – 179.20
Platform Dive finals
13. Geneva Pauly – 222.25
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. – The University of Iowa gymnastics team posted a team score of 196.225 on Saturday evening inside of Rec Hall, defeating No. 30 Maryland and finishing fourth overall in the meet.
No. 11 Michigan finished in first place with a 197.500 followed by No. 21 Illinois (196.850) and No. 22 Penn State (196.775). The GymHawks finished in front of 30th-ranked Maryland (195.100).
Sophomore Karina Muñoz led the way for the Hawkeyes, delivering an outstanding all-around performance scoring a career-high 39.550 and finishing third in the all-around. The New Jersey native had two second place finishes on bars and beam. Junior Ilka Juk took home the beam title, scoring a near-perfect 9.925.
FLOOR
The GymHawks posted a 49.325 in the floor rotation. Pennsylvania native Alyse Karenbauer started the meet off strong for the Hawkeyes, earning a 9.850. Hanna Castillo continued the momentum posting a 9.875 and matching her season best. Reigning Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Eva Volpe, had a strong floor routine earning a 9.725. Muñoz added another 9.875 to the board for Iowa. Emily Erb had posted the best score of the night on floor for Iowa securing a 9.900. Bailey Libby provided another strong performance in the anchor position scoring a 9.825.
VAULT
In the third rotation of the meet, the Hawkeyes posted a team score of 48.975 on vault. Avery Chambersbegan the rotation for Iowa and recorded a 9.800. Sophomore Gianna Masella and Volpe each registered a 9.800 on the apparatus. Muñoz, in the anchor position, landed a 9.825 to close out the event for Iowa.
BARS
The GymHawks recorded a team score of 48.575 on bars. Muñoz led the way for Iowa in the anchor position, sticking a career high 9.950. Masella added a 9.825 to the board for the Hawkeyes, and Volpe posted a 9.775.
BEAM
In their final event of the evening, Iowa recorded a team score of 49.350 on the beam. Volpe, in the leadoff position, posted a solid 9.825.Juklanded an impressive routine scoring a 9.925, surpassing her previous season high. Senior Aubrey Nick and junior Marissa Rojas added back-to-back 9.850s for the Hawkeyes. Muñoz ended the rotation by sticking a near perfect routine, scoring a 9.900.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH LARISSA LIBBY
“Karina has proven that she is a great competitor, but tonight she was the catalyst, the burst of energy that came at exactly the right time. I was so happy to see her gymnastics rewarded as she pretty much does the same thing week in and week out. Tonight the judges saw the “something special” that we’ve seen all along! I am Incredibly proud of her and really the entire team.”
UP NEXT
The GymHawks will travel to Sacramento, Calif. to face Sacramento State on Sunday, March 3. Action inside of The Nest will begin at 3 p.m. CT.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The University of Iowa softball team swept a doubleheader against the Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon on day two of the UNF-Jacksonville Invitational. The Hawkeyes took game one, 5-3, before clinching the day with a, 4-1, win in the nightcap.
Sophomore Jalen Adams got the start in game one and picked up her third win of the season going five innings allowing three runs on seven hits and struck out three Dolphins hitters. Freshman Jaylee Ojo picked her first save of her career, tallying five strikeouts in two innings of work.
Seven different Hawkeyes had an RBI on the day led by senior Grace Banes who had two hits, two RBIs and one run scored. Junior Rylie Moss picked up three hits in the doubleheader with one RBI and one run scored.
Junior Devyn Greer had a strong outing in game two with 5.2 innings of work allowing one run and struck out three. Junior Haley Downe picked up her first career win going 1.1 innings to close out the comeback win over Jacksonville.
Iowa was able to capitalize on nine Dolphin errors in the two games.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Freshman Devin Bowman was able to make the first sound for the Hawkeyes in the top of the third with a hard-hit single through the left side to score freshman Tory Bennett. Iowa looked to end a Jacksonville threat in the home half of the fourth throwing out a runner at home, but the call was overturned due to obstruction to allow the Dolphins to tie the game at one.
JU took the lead, 3-1, in the fifth after a few Iowa miscues. Adams was able to work her way out of the inning with a strikeout stranding two Dolphins baserunners.
The Hawkeye bats came to life in the top of the sixth as they plated four runs on four hits. Banes got the scoring started with a single to rightfield to two. Moss brought home another run on a sac fly and freshman Jena Young provided an insurance run on an RBI single to make it 5-3.
Ojo entered in relief to start the sixth inning and worked around two baserunners and recorded three strikeouts.
Despite JU being able to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh Ojo shut the door striking out the final batter to secure the win.
Iowa finished the game with five runs on five hits with no errors. The Dolphins were held to three runs on nine hits and had four errors.
Game 2
Greer had a strong start once again for the Hawkeyes. Jacksonville opened the scoring in the bottom of the third taking the, 1-0, lead on an RBI single. Iowa responded in the top of the fourth with an RBI from Bennett to tie the game at one.
Both teams were able to scatter a few hits through the next two innings. The Hawkeyes poured on the runs in the top of the seventh. Downe got her first at bat of 2024 and laid down sac bunt to move Bennett into scoring position. Freshman Soo-Jin Berry kept things going with an RBI single up the middle to bring in Bennett. Senior Brylee Klosterman closed out the inning with a sac fly scoring Berry and Young after an error by the JU left fielder to make it, 4-1.
Jacksonville managed to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh but were held to just one run as Downe closed out the game.
Iowa finished the game with four runs on seven hits with one error. The Dolphins were held to two runs on five hits and had five errors.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH RENEE GILLISPIE
“Coming away with two wins today is big, especially after having games rained out for our last three game days. I am proud of how the team stayed composed throughout the games when things weren’t necessarily going our way. A key thing is to make sure we control the things we can control within our circle and with that we will find success the rest of the season.”
NOTABLES
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action today (Sunday Feb. 25) for the final day of the UNF-JU Invitational. They will face Harvard at 9 a.m. CT at the UNF Softball Complex. Iowa will close out action in Florida facing UNF at 11:30 a.m. in a make-up game from Friday. Both games will be broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Victor Anderson on the call.
JACKSONVILLE, Florida – The 18th ranked University of Iowa baseball team fell to Auburn, 7-5, on Saturday morning at 121 Financial Park.
The Hawkeyes got out to a 3-2 lead through four innings as Brody Brecht gave them a quality start on the bump.
Brecht threw six innings allowing two hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out 11 and walking four.
Jack Whitlock was tagged with the loss allowing three runs in 2/3 of an inning. Zach Voelker allowed two earned runs in 1/3 of an inning.
Elliot Cadieux-Lanoue threw an inning walking one and striking out one.
Sam Petersen was 1-for-4 with a two-run home run. Kyle Huckstorf and Michael Seegers each tallied two hits for the Hawkeyes, and both recorded an RBI. Blake Guerin was 1-for-2 with an
RBI. Iowa loaded the bases in the first inning as Guerin walked in a run. The Hawkeyes played small ball in the second inning as Huckstorf tripled and Seeger slayed down the sacrifice bunt.
The Tigers singled in a run in the third after a pair of walks. Iowa responded with a double from Gable Mitchell and RBI single from Huckstorf.
Auburn cut the lead in half in the bottom of the sixth, and they took the lead with a pair of home runs in the seventh. A home run and a sacrifice fly extended the Tiger lead in the eighth.
Petersen homered with two outs in the ninth, but the Hawkeyes were unable to continue the rally.
UP NEXT:
Iowa (3-2) returns to action tomorrow against No. 14 Virginia in the JAX College Baseball Classic at 3 p.m. (CT).
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Iowa State (7-4) split its Friday games as part of day one of the Rawlings Classic, falling to Delaware (6-4) in a nearly five-hour game before topping Lehigh (2-6) in the afternoon by a run. The story of game number one was the two-plus hour weather delay. Pitching got sloppy in the fourth, leading to an influx of runs, but after the break, both teams were back to dealing.
Iowa State’s second game was won purely in the fifth inning, as a five-run frame was enough to outlast the Mountain Hawk’s four runs.
Delaware 8, ISU 5
In a wet, muddy open to the Rawlings Classic, Iowa State fell to Delaware by a score of 8-5. The game started slow but picked up with the rain, as pitchers began to lose control over the ball, resulting in multiple wild pitches, passed balls and walks.
The game featured a two-hour, 20-minute delay in the fourth, which came right in the middle of a Cyclone rally. Once play resumed, neither team was able to get anything going at the plate, resulting in a scoreless fifth, sixth and seventh.
Seven Cyclones had a hit on the afternoon, while Angelina Allen led the team with three RBI. Both Milaysia Ochoa and Alesia Ranches also had RBI on the day.
How it Happened
The game started with an empty first inning, as neither side was able to do much. Iowa State snuffed out a Delaware runner at third who attempted to tag up on a flyout to earn an inning-ending double play.
ISU again held Delaware scoreless in the top of the second inning as rain started to fall in Charlottesville. In the bottom of the frame, Alesia Ranches uncorked her third homer of the season, a solo shot, to center, putting the Cyclones up 1-0.
The Blue Hens got on the board in the top of the fourth, stringing together a pair of singles and a fielder’s choice to load the bases with two outs. A single back to the pitcher brought one in and kept the bases juiced for Morgan Hess. Hess sent a well-struck ball to the left-center gap, clearing the bases and putting Delaware up 4-1.
Milaysia Ochoa was hit by a pitch in the top bottom of the frame, putting a runner on for the Cyclones. Angelina Allen then smacked her fourth homer of the season over the center field fence to make it 4-3 in favor of the Blue Hens. Ochoa’s HBP was the 28th of her career – tying an ISU career record.
The field conditions worsened in the fourth, as ISU pitchers struggled to control the ball. A leadoff walk and two straight advancements on wild pitches put a runner on third. Delaware tried to score on another Wry pitch, but a perfect bounce back off the backstop allowed for an out. Delaware drew three more walks in the inning and used a two-run homer to score four runs for the second-straight inning as it went up 8-3.
In the bottom of the fourth, Iowa State started the inning off with a double and a single to get two runners on. An Olivia Wardlow single would load the bases with one out, bringing Ochoa up to bat. She would draw a walk to bring one with Allen following her. Allen was three pitches into her at-bat when the umpires called for a delay in action (at 11:40 EST).
Two hours and twenty minutes later (2 p.m. EST), the game resumed where it left off, with the basses loaded and Allen at the plate. She would send a screeching grounder to the first baseman, who was only able to get Allen out at first. The inning ended with a Cyclone strikeout, concluding a two-and-a-half-hour bottom of the fourth. ISU trailed 5-8.
After everyone came back from the break, pitchers started to gain more control over the ball and both offenses struggled to get hits. Neither team scored in the final three innings as the game ended with a three-run win for Delaware. Iowa State was able to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh with two on, but a groundout ended the potential comeback.
Friday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Alesia Ranches (3), Angelina Allen (4)
Delaware: Gianna Costaro (4)
WP – Emily Winburn (4-1): 4.2 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs (0 earned), 3 walks, 4 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Jaiden Ralston (0-2): 3.0 IP, 6 hits, 4 runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
ISU 5, Lehigh 4
A five-run fifth inning was the difference in the second game of the first day of the Rawlings Classic for the Cyclones. Five different “Clones had a hit on the afternoon, with four earning RBI. It was just the second game of the season that Iowa State did not register a homer. Aziza Rodriguez picked up her second win on the afternoon, going a career-high five innings on the day.
How it Happened
Both teams were scoreless in the opening frame, with each team registering just one hit. The Mountain Hawks were the first team on the scoreboard, tacking on one run in the top of the second thanks to a Julia Mrochko sacrifice fly. Like the first, both the third and fourth were scoreless on both sides. A leaping grab from McKenna Andrews and subsequent toss to second doubled up Lehigh to end the fourth frame.
The Mountain Hawks had two hits in the top of the fifth but were unable to convert, maintaining their 1-0 lead. The Cyclones exploded in the bottom of the fifth, piling on five runs to take a four-run lead. An RBI double from Tiana Poole and a pair of RBI singles made it 3-1 in favor of the Cyclones, as they had bases loaded with one out. Ranches drew a bases-loaded walk to score Wardlow from third. Moving from second to third was Ochoa, who, smartly, rounded the base and sprinted in to score – catching Lehigh off guard as ISU scored two on the walk.
LU fought back in the top of the sixth, plating three, but was unable to get over the final hump and tie/take the lead as it went on to fall by one run.
Friday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: N/A
Lehigh: N/A
WP – Aziza Rodriguez (2-0): 5.0 IP, 8 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Katelyn Young (1-3): 5.0 IP, 5 hits, 5 runs, 3 walk, 5 strikeouts
On Deck
Iowa State will be back at Palmer Park tomorrow, Feb. 24, for another pair of games in the Rawlings Classic. The Cyclones open Saturday play early against Delaware again at 9 a.m. CT and then play tournament-host Virginia at 2:30 p.m. CT.
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