Ford’s walk-off slam lifts Cyclones in must-win thriller

AMES — In a must-win scenario, Iowa State prevailed, battling back and forth with the No. 22 UCF Knights. The Cyclones are sitting in ninth place in the Big 12 standings, right behind Utah. 

Iowa State fell behind 4-0 but scored four in the bottom of the fourth, then took the lead in the fifth, scoring four more. A blown seventh-inning lead led to another chaotic fight to the finish, with the Cyclones coming out on top 13-9. 

“Really proud of the grit, really proud of the way they came back,” head coach Jamie Pinkerton said. 

In the fourth inning, as the Cyclones were getting no-hits up to that point, sophomore catcher Karlee Ford had a change of plans. On a 1-0 count, she roped a solo homer over the left-field wall to start a rally. 

“I always have the same mentality of just putting the ball in play,” Ford said.

Iowa State then scratched across three straight base hits, scoring one in the process, before senior center fielder Tatum Johnson came to the plate. She wouldn’t disappoint, connecting with the first pitch and tripling to left field, tying the game at four.

The fifth inning was more of the same for the Cyclones. Ford came up to the plate with one out and drew her second walk of the game, bringing up senior leader Sydney Malott. Malott had seven hits in 19 at-bats over her last six games, after a 3-for-29 stretch dating back to April 5. 

“I automatically knew Syd [Malott] was going to hit me around,” Ford said.

Malott came through, crushing a two-run home run off the top of the scoreboard in left field, her third homer in her recent stretch. 

“It’s definitely ups and downs, and you have to keep a steady mind,” Malott said. “Just trying to do whatever I can for my team.”

Two more runners would score after sophomore left fielder Jessie Clemons drove them in with a single down the left-field line. 

When it looked like the game would be over in the seventh inning, with the Cyclones up 8-4, the Knights had other plans. 

Junior right-handed pitcher Lauren Schurman came out to the circle to start the seventh, having not allowed a run since the fourth inning after relieving freshman right-handed pitcher Liv Palumbo. 

Pinkerton made a defensive change, moving senior Tiana Poole to right field to replace sophomore Hayleigh Oliver. 

This decision proved costly as, on the first batted ball of the inning, a deep fly ball to right field was misjudged, resulting in a triple.

This started a rally for UCF, as it reached base in six consecutive at-bats on four singles, one walk and one hit batter, scoring four runs to tie the game at 8-8. 

Senior right-handed pitcher Jaiden Ralston came in to relieve Schurman and faced three batters but allowed the go-ahead run to score on a sacrifice fly, giving the Knights a 9-8 lead heading into the bottom half of the inning. 

UCF brought in redshirt sophomore ace right-handed pitcher Isabella Vega, who previously threw a complete game and struck out eight Cyclones in game one. 

After junior pinch hitter Isabelle Nosan recorded the first out of the inning, senior third baseman McKenna Andrews drew a nine-pitch walk. She was out at second on a Clemons fielder’s choice for the second out.

Johnson and senior shortstop Reagan Bartholomew then drew full-count walks, bringing up sophomore second baseman Kadence Shepherd.

Shepherd roped the third pitch of her at-bat through the left side, tying the game at 9-9. 

That brought up Ford, who was 1-for-2 with two walks, including her solo homer that broke up the no-hitter in the fourth inning. 

On a 2-2 count, Ford didn’t miss, crushing a grand slam over the right-center wall.

“Karlee Ford’s been clutch all year,” Pinkerton said. “Huge hit.”

For Malott, the moment reflected the team’s mindset throughout the game.

“We just kept fighting the whole game,” Malott said. “No one ever thought we were out of it.”

The win pushed Iowa State’s conference record to 9-14. Utah sits at 9-13-1 after its win against Arizona.

For the Cyclones to make the tournament, they need to win the season finale against UCF and have Utah lose its finale against Arizona.