KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Iowa State (11-16) dropped Wednesday afternoon’s contest to Kansas City (11-18) in the City of Fountains, 3-7.
Iowa State claimed an early two-run lead, but four Cyclone errors proved too much to overcome, as ISU dropped its second midweek game of the season.
Ashley Minor was a bright spot for the Cyclones, as the sophomore recorded a game-high three hits and all three Cyclone RBI. Milaysia Ochoa and Angelina Allen were the lone other Cyclones to tally a hit.
Karlie Charles started in the circle for ISU, allowing two runs in three innings of work. Aziza Rodriguez (3-5) relieved Charles and tallied 2.1 innings of action before Lauren Schurman finished the game.
Kansas City’s starting pitcher went the distance, as three different Roos recorded multiple hits on the day.
How it Happened
The Cyclones got off to a quick start on Wednesday, plating a pair of runs in the top of the first. A pair of singles from Ochoa and Allen led off the frame to put a pair on the path. Ochoa would eventually end up on third and Allen on second when Minor came to the plate with two outs. On a 2-2 count, Minor delivered a single into right field to score both and put ISU up 2-0.
A pair of walks and an error would load the bases in the bottom of the first for the Roos. With two outs, Derika Castillo singled into right field to plate two runners and knot the game up at two apiece.
The second and third inning went scoreless, as the game remained tied at two through three. The Roos threatened in the bottom of the third, running the bases loaded with no outs. Karlie Charles stood strong through, getting KC to ground into a 1-2-3 double play before earning a groundout for the final out.
ISU stranded one in the fourth, before the Roos loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame. With the bases loaded, Katie Noble drew a walk to bring a third KC run across. Briona Woods then came to the plate and singled into center field to make it 5-2 in favor of Kansas City.
A scoreless fifth gave way to the sixth where both teams had runs cross. Minor tallied her third RBI of the day in the top of the sixth, blasting her fourth homer of the season over the center field fence.
Kansas City countered in the bottom of the frame, scoring two runs and pushing its lead to 7-3.
The Cyclones would put one aboard in the top of the seventh, but leave it stranded, eventually falling to the Roos.
Wednesday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Ashley Minor (4)
Kansas City: N/A
WP – Katie Noble (3-3): 7.0 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Aziza Rodriguez (3-5): 2.1 IP, 4 hit, 4 runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
On Deck
The Cyclones will be back in action this weekend, when they return to the Cyclone Sports Complex for a Big 12 weekend series against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. ISU and TTU are set to kick things off on Friday, March 22, at 4 p.m. pending any weather-related changes.
