AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (22-24, 2-10 Big 12) overcame a late surge from Iowa (19-26, 2-15 Big Ten) to win a thriller, 5-4, in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series Tuesday evening. The Cyclones clinched the 2021-22 Cy-Hawk Series in front of a record crowd of 1,450.

The Hawkeyes, who trailed 5-2 entering the final frame, scored two runs in the seventh to pull within one of the Cyclones, but Ellie Spelhaug induced a fly-out to strand the go-ahead run in scoring position and end the ballgame.

Iowa State scored what proved to be a crucial insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double from Kasey Simpson which scored Lea Nelson from first base.

Simpson finished with two hits to pace ISU at the plate while Angelina Allen homered once and scored twice. Alesia Ranches turned in her 10th multi-RBI performance of the year.

Saya Swain got the starting nod in the circle for the Cyclones, but it was Bettendorf, Iowa native Ellie Spelhaug (8-15) that went down as the pitcher of record. Spelhaug struck out three and allowed two runs on four hits in her 5.2-inning outing.

Iowa got on the board first in the top of the opening frame, but an RBI single from Milaysia Ochoa and a two-RBI double by Ranches put the Cyclones in front, 3-1, after an inning. The Hawkeyes would cross a run in the second, but Allen’s third home run of the season in the third inning would put ISU’s lead back to 4-2.

All was quiet until the sixth inning when Kaylee Pond reached on an infield single with two outs. Nelson entered to pinch run for Pond and was brought home for an important insurance run on a hard-hit ball off the bat of Simpson which found the gap in right-center field for a double.

Iowa would rally in the seventh but ultimately came up short after Spelhaug induced the game-ending fly-out.