Despite some solid performances, the Kansas softball team lost two straight home games this weekend against Iowa State — 3-1 in Game 1 and 7-5 in Game 2.
The Jayhawks started the three-game series Friday in front of a sold-out crowd of 1,130 at Arrocha Ballpark. But the game quickly went sour for the home team when the Cyclones scored a run in the first inning despite not recording a hit.
KU junior left-hander Kasey Hamilton hit the first batter of the inning, and a passed ball put the runner on second base. Then two consecutive groundouts moved the runner past home plate, giving the Cyclones the 1-0 lead.
That’s where the score stayed until the bottom of the fifth, when the Jayhawks finally got on the board. Junior utility player Savanna DesRochers recorded Kansas’ second hit of the day with a triple down the right-field line, and senior shortstop Haleigh Harper drove in the run to tie the game at 1-1.
Iowa State responded in the top of the sixth. After two quick outs with Hamilton on the mound, the Cyclones got their first hit of the day with a single to center field. A pinch runner then stole second base, and back-to-back doubles from sophomore infielder Angelina Allen and senior utility player Carli Spelhaug drove in two more runs, giving Iowa State a 3-1 lead that it wouldn’t relinquish.
Hamilton finished the game with seven innings pitched. She allowed just three hits and three earned runs, punching out seven batters on 104 pitches, but was tagged with her tenth loss of the season.
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In Game 2 on Saturday, both teams got the scoring started early.
First, two errors in the top of the first inning allowed Iowa State to take a three-run lead right out of the gate. The first error allowed Allen to reach safely and junior outfielder Milaysia Ochoa to move to third. Spelhaug then singled down the left-field line for a two-run single. Then, another error let Spelhaug cross home plate, giving the Cyclones yet another unearned run.
Kansas answered with a three-run inning of its own in the bottom of the first. After a one-out double and a single, freshman utility player Hailey Cripe blasted a three-run homer over the left-field wall, tying the game at 3-3.
The Cyclones, however, were just getting started. In the second inning, Ochoa knocked a double down the right-field line for two more runs. Then senior infielder Alesia Ranches reached on a fielder’s choice and Ochoa was able to cross home plate, giving Ranches an RBI and putting the Cyclones up 6-3.
In the bottom of the second, KU’s Harper drove a two-run homer to left-center field, cutting the deficit to 6-5. But then both teams went cold for four straight innings. The Cyclones got the last word in the top of the seventh when Spelhaug drove in one final run with a single to center field, her third RBI of the game.
KU is now 23-26 (4-13 Big 12), and the Cyclones are 24-28 (6-11 Big 12). The Jayhawks will try to avoid the sweep at noon Sunday.
