Iowa State Angelina Allen, 23, stepped up to the plate against BYU on April 4, 2025, at Cyclone Sports Complex in Ames, Iowa.
The No. 3 seed Iowa State faced off against the No. 2 seed Arizona in the Big 12 semifinals and unfortunately came up short in a 6-3 battle on Friday. The loss led to the Cyclones being eliminated from the competition.
The Cyclones didn’t waste any time making their presence known, with senior Angelina Allen hitting a single in the second inning. This set the stage for freshman Karlee Ford, who then smashed a two-run homer to left field, giving Iowa State an early 2-0 lead.
After a couple of solid innings from sophomore Lauren Schurman, Arizona fought back in the third inning. A hit-by-pitch followed by three consecutive singles allowed the Wildcats to score two runs and tie the game.
Allen wasn’t done yet, as she started off the fourth inning with a solo home run to left center, marking her second consecutive game with a homer. However, Arizona quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff double, an error, and a sacrifice fly to even the score at 3-3.
As the game progressed, things took a turn when reliever Jaiden Ralston gave up a leadoff walk and a single. After recording an out on a sacrifice bunt, Arizona’s Sydney Stewart stepped up to the plate with runners on second and third. With a 0-2 count, Stewart hit a three-run homer, putting the Wildcats ahead for good.
In terms of the box score, Iowa State managed only six hits and three walks while striking out five times. Allen had a standout performance, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one home run. Ford also contributed with a 2-for-3 outing, including a home run and two RBIs. Freshman Jessie Clemons secured the final hit, while junior Tiana Poole walked twice in two plate appearances.
On the pitching side, Schurman pitched three innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out one. Ralston followed with three innings of her own, giving up four hits and four runs (three earned) with two walks and a strikeout. Iowa State committed two defensive errors, one of which led to an unearned run.
With the 6-3 loss, Iowa State’s overall record dropped to 31-23, and now the team must wait to hear about their postseason fate. The Cyclones are on the bubble for an NCAA Regional bid, with selections scheduled to be announced on Sunday evening.
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