OKLAHOMA CITY - Kasey Simpson’s sacrifice fly to score Milaysia Ochoa in the bottom of the eighth inning gave No. 4 seed Iowa State a 2-1 win over No. 5 seed Baylor (28-24) in the opening game of the 2022 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship.

 To get there, Simpson had to help rally the Cyclones in the seventh inning, trailing 1-0. Her leadoff single began the rally that would see Simpson’s pinch-runner, Lea Nelson, tie the game on a wild pitch by BU’s Aliyah Binford.
 
“One thing about this team is that they play until the final out. Today it took 24,” said Iowa State head coach Jamie Pinkerton. “We got a few timely hits late and got an opportunity and took advantage of it.”
 
Baylor’s Binford nearly looked like she would dominate the game from every aspect of the game. Through six innings the sophomore from New Braunfels, Texas had allowed just two hits from the circle, struck out eight and walked two. In the bottom of the sixth she began the scoring by getting aboard on a fielder’s choice. With two outs, Binford stole second base. Two pitches later, she stole third, but an errant throw from ISU catcher Natalie Wellet allowed Binford to come across with the game’s first run.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Simpson’s infield single was a hot shot right back to Binford, who then recorded the next two outs. But with ISU’s Carli Spelhaug at the plate, a Binford delivery was out of reach for catcher Josie Bower, who then misplayed the ball, allowing pinch-runner Nelson to slide by with the game-tying run. Trainers then checked the right hand of Binford, and after a practice throw, she did exit the game with an undisclosed injury. BU’s Maren Judisch closed out the frame by striking out Spelhaug.
 
It sent Iowa State and Baylor to their first extra-inning game at the Big 12 Championship since 2008 when the two faced each other with ISU winning that one 6-4 in 10 innings.
 
Angelina Allen led off the inning with a single for Iowa State. With one out, Ochoa singled to left-center, but a quick defensive play and strong throw from Baylor outfielder McKenzie Wilson kept Ochoa at second. However, Judisch walked Alesia Ranches on four pitches to load the bases and set up Simpson’s game-winner.
 
“It definitely shows that we’re not done yet. We deserve to be here and we’re the big dogs, too,” said Simpson of the team’s late-game heroics. “It just took us trusting ourselves and knowing that we have the ability to do it.”
 
The Cyclones, 28-26, now winners of six of their last seven games, advance to face regular-season Big 12 champ and four-time reigning postseason champ, Oklahoma, Friday at 1:00 PM CT on ESPNU.
 
“We’re ready. We’re ready. We know exactly what they’re going to throw. We know we’re going to have to put up the runs and we know we can do this,” Simpson said.
 

2022 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship
First Round - Thursday, May 12
12 p.m.	Game 1: No. 4 Iowa State 2, No. 5 Baylor 1 (8 inn.)	ESPNU	Box Score
3 p.m.	Game 2: No. 2 Oklahoma State vs. No. 7 Kansas	Big 12 Now on ESPN+	Stats
6 p.m.	Game 3: No. 3 Texas vs. No. 6 Texas Tech	Big 12 Now on ESPN+	Stats
Semifinals - Friday, May 13
1 p.m.	Game 4: No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Iowa State	ESPNU
4 p.m.	Game 5: Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner	Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Championship - Saturday, May 14
2 p.m.	Game 6: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner	ESPN2

 
Game times and television networks are subject to change