AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (23-12, 0-7 Big 12) mounted a seventh-inning rally on Friday vs. No. 7 Texas (29-3, 4-0 Big 12), but fell 8-5 in game one of a three-game series.
Mikayla Ramos and Carli Spelhaug both hit home runs on the day to boost the Cyclone offense, while pitcher Ellie Spelhaug had an excellent outing in relief. The sophomore allowed one run on just three hits in 4.0 innings of work.
Texas 8, Iowa State 5
Iowa State jumped ahead early in its fourth home game of the season. Sami Williams drew a first-inning walk to set the table for junior Mikayla Ramos. The Cyclone catcher continued her hot streak at the plate, crushing a two-run homer to left field to put Iowa State in front, 2-0. Ramos has now piled up nine home runs on the season, including six in her last 10 games.
The top of the second inning would prove to be the Cyclones undoing, as Texas answered the fast ISU start by piling up seven runs in the ensuing frame. Colleen Sullivan, Courtney Day and Taylor Ellsworth all hit home runs in the inning, as the seventh-ranked Longhorns showed off their explosive offense. UT tallied seven runs on seven hits to take a 7-2 lead through two innings.
Following back-to-back Texas hits to lead-off the top of the fourth, Ellie Spelhaug entered to pitch and worked her way out of trouble.
Ellies younger sister Carli Spelhaug gave the Cyclones a spark in the home half of the fourth, crushing a solo home run with two outs. It was the sophomores fourth home run of the season, ranking third on the team.
UT got the run back, capitalizing on ISUs lone error of the day to plate one run in the top of the sixth, extending the lead to 8-3.
As the 2021 Cyclones have done time and again, Iowa State continued to fight to its last out. A Mikayla Ramos walk and Milaysia Ochoa double put a pair of ISU runners in scoring position. Ramos then raced home to score on a UT error. The Cyclones once again took advantage of a Longhorn throwing error later in the frame to cut the deficit to 8-5. However, Texas worked its way out of trouble with the tying run at the plate, holding on for a game one victory.
On Deck
The Cyclones and Longhorns will return to the Cyclone Sports Complex on Saturday for game two of the series at 1 p.m. CT.
