AMES, Iowa – No. 19 Baylor softball (30-7, 4-0 Big 12) throttled the Iowa State Cyclones (15-16, 0-2 Big 12), picking up the 17-6 win over ISU to secure the series win on Saturday afternoon at Cyclone Sports Complex.
Gia Rodoni (2-0) picked up the win in relief, forced into action after a big first inning for Iowa State. Rodoni worked 3.1 innings, allowing three runs on five hits, striking out three.
Heather Stearns picked up her fifth save of the season, pitching the final 3.1 frames, allowing just one hit and no runs, while striking out three.
Coming off a 16-4 victory on Friday, another fast start grabbed an early lead for Baylor.
A leadoff walk for Jessie Scroggins set up for an RBI double by Kyla Walker, scoring Scroggins from first.
Shelby Friudenberg drew another walk, bringing up Linsey Hays to rope a single up the middle to score Walker.
Sarah Smith followed with a single into right field, scoring Friudenberg.
With Hays and Smith advancing on a passed ball, Ari Hawkins drove in Hays on an infield ground out.
Robin Landrith followed with a two-out single back up the middle, scoring Smith to put the Baylor lead at 5-0 through the top of the first.
In the home half, the Cyclones answered back, dropping five runs on five hits, including a three-run home run, tying the game back at 5-5.
The tie would be short-lived, with Scroggins reaching safely on an error to lead off the second.
Walker drew another walk, with both runners advancing into scoring position on a fly ball by Friudenberg.
Scroggins would score a batter later on a wild pitch, setting up Ari Hawkins for a single through the left side to score Walker.
The Cyclones would chip back into the 7-5 lead in the bottom of the fourth, plating a run to pull within one.
The Lady Bears would slam the door shut in the top of the fifth, with Caitlin Charlton leading off the inning with a walk.
A bunt single by Lindsey Cargill and an error by the shortstop on a ground ball by Scroggins would load the bases.
A full-count walk of Walker would plate a run, keeping the bases loaded.
Friudenberg slammed a double into the gap in right-center, scoring Cargill and Scroggins.
A single by Hays would drive in Walker and Morgan Groppe, pinch running for Friudenberg.
Wrapping up a six-run inning, a fly out by Caitlin Charlton brought in Linsey Hays, pushing Baylor’s lead up to 13-6.
Icing the game in the seventh, a walk by Hays opened the door for a two-run bomb to deep centerfield by Smith, with Ari Hawkins walking in the next at-bat.
With two outs, Lindsey Cargill drove another two-run shot to dead centerfield, putting the Lady Bears up by 11 at 17-6, standing as the final score.
STAT OF THE GAME #1
33 – the number of runs scored by Baylor in the first two games of the three-game series with ISU
STAT OF THE GAME #2
13 – the career save count for Heather Stearns, drawing within six of the Baylor record-holder, Lisa Ferguson (19 careers saves, 2004-2007)
STAT OF THE GAME #3
2 – the number of extra-base hits recorded by Kyla Walker in Saturday’s contest, with a double and a triple, both career-firsts
WHAT’S NEXT
The Lady Bears go for a clean sweep of Iowa State, closing the series on Sunday at noon at the Cyclone Sports Complex.
