STILLWATER, Okla. – Iowa State (19-17, 8-5 Big 12) earned its fifth Big 12 series-opening win of the season, upending No. 17 Oklahoma State (23-13, 5-6 Big 12) in extra innings Friday afternoon, winning 5-4.

The Cyclones have now won four of their last five contests against the Cowgirls, as the team earned its first ranked win of the season. The win was Coach Pinkerton’s 14th against a ranked team while at Iowa State, and the sixth ranked win against OSU during that time.

Karlee Ford was the hero, as the freshman catcher drove in what proved to be the game-winning run in the top of the eighth, as she singled a two-out, bases-loaded pitch up the middle to score the team’s fifth run.

She wasn’t alone in difference makers, though, as fellow rookie Jessie Clemons also had herself a day, securing a career-high four hits. Sydney Malott also had a stellar outing, crushing a pair of homers – the first multi-homer game of her career – and plating three runs. Angelina Allen also had a benchmark day, as the senior notched her 200th career hit on the day, becoming the seventh player in school history to do so.

In the circle, Lauren Schurman got the start for the Cyclones, throwing four innings of action. In her four frames, Schurman allowed one run on four hits before being replaced by Jaiden Ralston. Ralston (5-5) gave up three runs (one earned) on five hits as she finished the game and earned her fifth win of the year.

For the Cowgirls, the duo of Rosie Davis and Megan Bloodworth each blasted solo shots to account for two of the team’s RBI. Davis also drove in two more runs in the seventh to tie the game at four. Bloodworth, Davis and Tia Warsop all had two hits on the day to lead the team. Ruby Meylan (15-6) went the distance for OSU, striking out a career-high 14 batters, but suffered her sixth loss of the season in the process.

The Cyclones strung together some quality early at-bats, taking a 1-0 lead in the first frame. Tatum Johnson drew a one-out walk and was doubled to third three pitches later by Allen. With two in scoring position and just one out, Clemons singled through the right side to score Johnson and gave ISU its one-run lead. Back-to-back strikeouts from Ruby Meylan and the Cowgirls would end the ISU threat.

Oklahoma State evened things up in the flipside of the frame with one swing as Rosie Davis blasted a two-out homer over the right field wall to knot things up at one apiece.

A scoreless second inning gave way to the third. ISU went three-up, three-down at the plate in the top half before OSU began to threaten in the bottom. A leadoff Cowgirl double was followed by a walk and a bunt single and Oklahoma State loaded the bases with no outs. Schurman and the Cyclones stayed calm, though, rattling off a fielder’s choice out at the plate, a foul ball flyout, and a lineout to end the inning and avoid any damage.

The Cyclones retook the lead in the fourth, thanks to Malott. Clemons led the inning off with a double down the left line to get things going. Then, two batters later, Malott cranked a one-out first pitch over the right field wall to push the ISU lead to 3-1.

The game would turn to the fifth, with ISU leading by two. The Cyclones, who were 13-1 when leading after four, were looking to hold on for their first ranked win of the year. Megan Bloodworth dented those hopes in the bottom of the fifth with a solo shot to trim the lead to just one.

Neither team plated a runner in the sixth and the team would turn to a decisive seventh inning. Leading off the seventh for ISU was Malott, and she wasn’t satisfied with just one home run, so she blasted another – a leadoff, six-pitch ball this time over the left field fence – to give ISU some insurance and make it 4-2.

The Cowgirls rallied though in the bottom of the inning, tying things up at two. A leadoff single started things off and eventually moved to third following an outfield collision by the Cyclones, resulting in an error to put runners in scoring position. Down to their final strike, Rosie Davis blooped a ball into no man’s land in the outfield to score both runners and send the game to extras.

In the eighth, Johnson led things off with a walk. Clemons singled two batters later and Malott would later draw a walk to load the bases with two outs. An 0-3 Ford would step into the box and deliver a clutch hit up the middle to score Johnson and give Iowa State the 5-4 lead.

In the flipside of the frame, OSU’s first two batters popped up and grounded out to put the team down to its final out. A Rachael Hathoot single gave the Cowgirls life, but a two-out pop-up ended things as ISU secured the series-opening win.

Iowa State: Sydney Malott 2(7)

Oklahoma State: Rosie Davis (7), Megan Bloodworth (7)

WP – Jaiden Ralston (5-5): 4.0 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 0 walks, 2 strikeouts

SV – N/A

LP – Ruby Meylan (15-6): 8.0 IP, 8 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, 14 strikeouts

The Cyclones will look to secure the series tomorrow afternoon when it returns to Cowgirl Stadium for game two of the weekend series. Game two is set to begin at noon central and will again be streamed live on ESPN+.