By Sara Biela (@sarabielaa):
San Jose State softball gave up 12 runs on 17 hits to drop its final game of the Marucci Desert Classic to the Iowa State Cyclones, 12-4.
The Spartans (8-2) finished the Las Vegas tournament 4-1.
Junior starting pitcher Madison Aurin put SJSU on the board first with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning.
The Cyclones (6-4) responded by tying the game and taking the lead in the second frame.
Junior designated hitter Sally Woolpert’s two-RBI single tied it at two apiece. Senior right fielder Kaila Konz followed in suit with an RBI single that gave ISU the lead.
The Spartans managed to get one run back in the bottom half of the second and made it 4-3, but the momentum never left the Cyclones.
ISU scored a combined eight runs in the first three innings.
Junior catcher Haylee Bosworth hit a solo homer in the third frame, then later singled up the middle and drove in sophomore shortstop Sami William in the fifth to make it 11-3.
The second DH of the day, junior Kirsten Caudle singled to right and made it 12-3 Cyclones after the top of the fifth.
Third baseman Nychole Antillon scored ISU’s lone run in the fourth with an RBI single.
The Spartans added on a run from Aurin’s RBI double, but the damage was already done.
The Cyclones went on to clinch the victory after five innings.
Aurin contributed three of the four runs, but received her second loss on the season as she gave up two runs in 1.0+ innings of work.
The Spartans now get the privilege of playing in their home state as they meet in Stockton against the countries’ seventh-best LSU Tigers on Thursday for the Libby Matson before playing in Palm Springs against more Top-25 teams next weekend in the Mary Nutter Classic.