Cyclones Rally Past Huskers

Ames, Iowa - Iowa State scored all six of its runs with two outs, including Jennifer Bigbee's game-winning two-run homer in the fifth inning, as the Cyclones snapped a 14-game losing streak to Nebraska with a 6-5 upset of the 16th-ranked Husker softball team on Tuesday at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

Freshman right-hander Molly Hill took just her second loss of the season in the circle, falling to 17-2 after surrendering two runs in two innings of relief. Hill entered the game in the bottom of the fourth with the Huskers (32-8, 6-4 Big 12) leading 5-4. Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr got the start and also pitched the sixth inning. In four innings of work, DeBuhr allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out seven.

The loss was the first of the year for Nebraska when scoring five or more runs. Entering the game, the Huskers were 20-0 this season when scoring five or more runs in a game.

Alyssa Ransom improved to 9-11 with a complete-game effort for ISU. Ransom allowed five runs (four earned) and struck out six while going the distance. Iowa State improved to 19-20 on the season and 3-6 in the Big 12 with its first win over Nebraska since April 25, 1999.

Nebraska jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second, only to see Iowa State respond with two runs of its own in the bottom of the frame. Junior Devin Porter got NU's inning started with a one-out single. Senior Katie Linke followed with another single to center to put runners at first and third for fellow senior KoKo Tacha. Tacha laced a single up the middle to score Porter and Linke came home on a sacrifice fly to right off the bat of junior Carmen Kier.

Iowa State answered with a two-out rally in its half of the frame. Jessica Quade reached on a one-out single before Cary Akins put runners on first and second with a two-out single. Beth Tharp then lined a double to right to score Quade and Akins to tie the game at 2-2.

The Huskers got a run back in the top of the third with the help of a Cyclone error. Yoachim led off with her second infield single of the game. She promptly stole second and scored when junior Jamie Waldecker hit a hard shot to third that got past Tharp at third.

A Nebraska error in the bottom of the inning led to a pair of unearned runs that gave Iowa State its first lead of the game at 4-3. Fallon Johnson reached on a one-out single and Kristy Olsen reached on an error by Kier at third that put runners at first and second. Both runners moved up a base on a ground out by Killeen. The pair then came home when Reichling hit a ball up the middle that deflected off of DeBuhr's glove to Yoachim, who threw just late to first as Reichling beat the throw. Olsen scored from second on the play with some heads-up baserunning.

Linke immediately tied the game at 4-4 when she led off the top of the fourth with her first home run of the season. Kier put the Huskers back in front, 5-4, with a one-out solo homer. Kier fouled off three 2-2 pitches before belting her fifth home run of the season well over the wall in left.

Iowa State threatened in the bottom of the fourth, when Hill issued two walks and hit a batter to load the bases, but did not allow a run.

After working around the walks in the fourth, a one-out walk cost Hill in the bottom of the fifth. With Reichling on at first, Jennifer Bigbee then took a 3-2 pitch down the left field line for a two-run homer that put Iowa State ahead 6-5.

The Huskers never threatened the rest of the way, as Ransom retired the side in order in the sixth and seventh innings.

Offensively for NU, Linke finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI, while Kier finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs. Porter added a 2-for-3 day, while Tacha also produced an RBI. Tannahill went 0-for-2, but was hit by a pitch. The hit-by-pitch was her ninth of the season, setting a new Nebraska single-season record.

Nebraska and Iowa State meet again on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium.