Speedy Iowa State beats Baylor in Big 12 softball tournament first round
Speed and an accurate outfield throw enabled Iowa State to defeat Baylor in the opening game of the Big 12 Conference softball tournament Thursday at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
The Cyclones scored on a passed ball to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. They scored the winning run during the 2-1 victory on an eighth-inning sacrifice fly to shallow right field.
Coach Jamie Pinkerton’s 28-26, fourth-seeded team faces top-seeded Oklahoma at 1 p.m. Friday in the semifinal round.
Close outcomes like Thursday’s are nothing new for Iowa State, which has 21 games decided by two runs or less. Thursday was no different.
Pinch-runner Lea Nelson scored the tying run that sent the game to extra innings. In the next inning, Kasey Simpson’s flyout to right scored Angelina Allen with the game-winner.
The Cyclones' defense kept Baylor off the board in the top of the eighth, when center fielder Skyler Ramos' perfect one-hop throw to catcher Natalie Wellet was in plenty of time to get Taylor Strain, who was trying to score from second base.
Iowa State finished a program-best fourth in the Big 12 Conference. The surging Cyclones have won seven of their last nine games.
Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson embarked on his 50th year of writing sports for the Des Moines Register in December 2021. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State softball tops Baylor in Big 12 Tournament thriller
