Mavericks Rally to Defeat Iowa State, 6-4
Apr 14, 2016 | Softball
AMES, Iowa – Omaha softball rallied from a 4-0 first inning deficit Thursday, roaring back to defeat Iowa State 6-4 in Ames. The Mavericks are now 21-21 with the win, while the Cyclones drop to 15-24.
Iowa State struck first with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Cathlin Bingham and Aly Cappaert each drew one out walks. Kelsey McFarland singled through the right side moving Cappaert to third and scoring Bingham. McFarland moved to third and Cappaert came in to score as Nychole Antillon reached on an infield hit. ISU added another run as McFarland scored on a passed ball. Sammie Hilbreth doubled down the left field line to bring Antillon home.
Omaha scored three runs in the top of the third to cut the Iowa State lead to a run, 4-3. Lia Mancuso singled through the right side before Nicole Warren drew a walk. Sydney Hames drove a 3-2 offering from Iowa State starter Savannah Sanders over the left center wall for a three-run homer.
The score remained 4-3 until the top half of the seventh inning. Back-to-back doubles from Mancuso and Warren tied the game, 4-4. Hames hit the next pitch through the left side to give Omaha runners on first and third with no outs. Following an ISU pitching change, Campbell Ditto singled to center field to score Warren. Ditto and pinch runner Kylie Schwarting moved to second and third respectively on a wild pitch. Schwarting was able to score as Kourtney Pock reached on an error by the ISU third baseman.
The Mavericks took a 6-4 lead to the bottom of the seventh. Laura Roecker retired the first two ISU batters of the frame before hitting Bingham. Roecker then retired the next batter to give Omaha the win.
Roecker (11-9) pitched her 11th complete game of the season to earn the victory, allowing four runs on seven hits with three walks and a strikeout.
Hames led the Mavericks at the plate going 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Ditto and Pock each went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Warren had a double, scored two runs and drove in another, while Mancuso was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.
Omaha returns to action over the weekend with a three-game Summit League series at Western Illinois. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon. The series will wrap-up with a single game on Sunday starting at 11 a.m.
