Jones? Walk-Off Grand Slam Lifts ISU Past Huskers

AMES, Iowa - Sydni Jones blasted a one-out grand slam in the seventh inning to lift Iowa State to a 9-5 win over Nebraska Thursday afternoon in Big 12 softball action at the Southwest Athletic Complex. With the win, Iowa State improves to 24-19 overall and 2-5 in Big 12 play.

Jones' only hit of the game proved to be the difference as the senior took Nebraska relief pitcher Ashley Hagemann (11-9) deep with a full count to give the Cyclones their second-straight win. The homer was the fifth of the season and the 20th of Jones' career.

The seventh inning started with Kelsey Kidwell reaching on a fielding error by Husker second baseman Julie Brechtel. After Hagemann got Erica Miller to strikeout, Kelsey Kidwell stole second and Alex Johnson was walked. Courtney Wray then singled to second base to load the bases for Jones with one out.

Jones and Hagemann battled to a full count, with the Cyclone fighting off numerous pitches. On the eighth pitch of the at bat, Jones turned on one and lifted a deep fly ball that cleared the centerfield wall with plenty of room to spare, giving ISU the win.

The Cyclones and Huskers (25-18, 4-4) battled high winds and off-and-on showers all afternoon to a 5-5 tie after six innings.

Both teams scored single runs in the first, with Nebraska taking advantage of two Cyclone errors and ISU getting a single from Miller that plated Kelsey Kidwell.

The Cyclones tacked on two more in the second on a single from Carleigh Berry and a productive ground out by Heidi Kidwell to go up 3-1.

In the back-and-forth affair, Nebraska responded with a two-run third before Miller belted her third homer of the season to break up the tie.

In the fifth, Johnson hit a sacrifice fly that scored Heidi Kidwell, who led off the inning with a walk, to give the Cyclones a two-run lead.

The Huskers got to ISU starter Rachel Zabriskie in the sixth, getting back-to-back homers from Brechtel and Brooke Thomason to tie it at 5-5.

Hagemann followed Thomason's homer with a double to chase Zabriskie and bring Lauren Kennewell out of the bullpen.

After walking the first batter she faced, the sophomore from Flower Mound, Texas settled in to retire the next three batters, including Husker leadoff hitter Heidi Foland on strikes to end the inning. Foland leads the Big 12 with 55 hits this season.

The Cyclones went down scoreless in the sixth and Kennewell got through the top of the seventh unscathed to set the stage for Jones' heroics.

Iowa State was led by Miller, who went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in. Jones joined four other Cyclones with hits while tying a career-high with four RBI. She moved into a tie for ninth all-time with Lisa Leinen with 69 career RBI.

Kennewell (1-3) picked up the win in relief, tossing two innings of scoreless ball and striking out three.

Hagemann took the loss in 4.1 innings of work off the bench. She gave up six runs on four hits in relief of Robin Mackin, who lasted just two innings.

Iowa State returns to action Saturday when it hosts No. 22 Texas A&M at 2 p.m.

Iowa State 9, Nebraska 5 (4-15-2010 at Ames, Iowa)
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Nebraska............ 102 002 0 - 5 9 2 (25-18, 4-4 Big 12)
Iowa State.......... 121 010 4 - 9 7 2 (24-19, 2-5 Big 12)
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Pitchers: Nebraska - Mackin, Robin; Hagemann, Ashley(3) and . Iowa State - Zabriskie, Rachel;
Kennewell, Lauren(6) and .
Win-Kennewell, Lauren(1-3) Loss-Hagemann, Ashley(11-9) T-2:25 A-182
HR NU - Brechtel, Julie (5); Thomason, Brooke (8).
HR IS - Miller, Erica (3); Jones, Sydni (5).

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Players Mentioned

Alex Johnson

Alex Johnson

Sydni Jones

Sydni Jones

Lauren Kennewell

Lauren Kennewell

Heidi Kidwell

Heidi Kidwell

Kelsey Kidwell

Kelsey Kidwell

Erica Miller

Courtney Wray

Courtney Wray

Rachel Zabriskie

Rachel Zabriskie

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