OKLAHOMA CITY – Iowa State opened the 2023 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship with an 8-1 victory over No. 4-seeded Baylor at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. The No. 5-seeded Cyclones tallied 16 hits while starting pitcher Ellie Spelhaug kept the Bears hitless into the sixth inning.

ISU’s Angelina Allen brought the first run across the plate in the top of the third inning with an RBI double to right center to score Milaysia Ochoa. Alesia Ranches added an additional run for the Cyclones with a single through the left side to bring Allen home and give the Cyclones a 2-0 lead.

Iowa State added insurance in the fifth and sixth as Kasey Simpson produced a single to right field and Allen hit a double to left center to stretch the lead to 4-0.

A 33-minute lightning delay occurred following the fifth inning.

The Bears recorded their first hit in the bottom of the sixth inning with a base hit by Presleigh Pilon before McKenzie Wilson reached on a fielder’s choice. Emily Hott made it three consecutive BU batters to reach base as she was hit by a pitch. Shaylon Govan followed with a double down the left field line to score the Bears’ lone run of the game and make the score 4-1 before the inning concluded.

Iowa State responded with a four-run seventh inning. Simpson scored first on a fielder’s choice by Tatum Johnson before Ochoa picked up her second hit of the day to bring Johnson home. Mikayla Ramos put an exclamation point on the inning with the game’s only home run down the left-field line to end the scoring at 8-1.

Spelhaug pitched a complete game to improve to 8-8 on the season while BU’s RyLee Crandall was charged the loss and fell to 15-5. Spelhaug tallied six strikeouts while allowing only two hits and one earned run.

Allen’s two doubles tie a Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship record for most doubles in a game by a player.

This is the second consecutive season Iowa State has advanced to the semifinals with a win over Baylor in the Championship’s opening game.

The Cyclones, 25-29, now winners of five of their last six games, will face the regular-season Big 12 champion, Oklahoma, Friday at 1 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
 

 
2023 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship Schedule

First Round – Thursday, May 11
10 a.m.	Game 1: No. 5 Iowa State 8, No. 4 Baylor 1	Box Score
12:30 p.m.	Game 2: No. 2 Texas vs. No. 7 Texas Tech	Big 12 Now on ESPN+
3 p.m.	Game 3: No. 3 Oklahoma State vs. No. 6 Kansas	Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Semifinals – Friday, May 12
1 p.m.	Game 4: No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 5 Iowa State	ESPNU
4 p.m.	Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner	Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Final – Saturday, May 13
2 p.m.	Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner	ESPN2

Times listed as Central. Times and television network designations are subject to change.