AMES, Iowa – After earning a pair of wins in Friday’s doubleheader against Houston (18-9, 2-4 Big 12), and securing the series win Iowa State (11-15, 2-4 Big 12) dropped Saturday’s series finale to the Cougars in five innings, 10-2.
Houston exploded for a nine-run first inning which powered the victory, recording 9 hits and 10 RBI on the afternoon.
The Cyclones were limited to just three hits on the day as ISU left five runners on base throughout the contest.
Carli Spelhaug, Maddie Knowles and Alesia Ranches had hits for the Cyclones with both Ranches and Poole earning RBI. Milaysia Ochoa and Tiana Poole each drew a walk.
Tatum Johnson (0-1) started the game for the Cyclones and was quickly relieved by Jaiden Ralston who went for 3.1 innings of action. Karlie Charles also saw the circle, as she hurled 1.2 innings and gave up just one hit.
A pair of Cougars had multiple hits as both Lair Beautae and Shelby Smith had two on the afternoon. Beautae had a game-high four RBI, as she powered a grand slam over the center field wall in the first.
Paris Lehman (5-2) tossed a complete game and earned the win after receiving just her second loss of the season on Friday.
How it Happened
Houston went all the way through the order in the first frame, as UH tallied 13 at-bats in the top of the first. The Cougars plated nine runs thanks to four RBI singles, a bases-loaded HBP and a grand slam.
After falling behind by nine, Iowa State had its work cut out for it. The Cyclones dented the Houston lead by one in the bottom of the frame, bringing a runner home. Ochoa drew a leadoff walk and two at-bats later was driven home from first thanks to Ranches’s second triple of the weekend.
The Cougars tacked on one final run in the second, as Coleman belted a ball into the right field street to make it 10-1 in favor of Houston.
ISU was scoreless in both the second and third, but Spelhaug broke the dry spout by powering her sixth long ball of the season over the left field fence in the fourth.
Neither team was able to add anything in the fifth as the game ended in a run-rule, 2-10.
Saturday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Carli Spelhaug (6)
Houston: Lair Beautae (6), Turiya Coleman (6)
WP – Paris Lehman (5-2): 5.0 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Tatum Johnson (0-1): 0.0 IP, 1 hit, 4 runs, 3 walks, 0 strikeouts
On Deck
Iowa State will be back in action this week in Kansas City, as the Cyclones travel to UMKC to face off with the Kangaroos in a midweek matchup. ISU and UMKC will meet on Wednesday, March 20, at 3 p.m.
