Baylor
Iowa State
SB: Vannatta Caps Off Comeback With Blast
4/24/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 24, 2010
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WACO - Jordan Vannatta blasted a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to complete the 9-7 come-from-behind victory for Baylor (25-19, 5-8) over Iowa State (25-22, 3-8) Saturday afternoon at Getterman Stadium. It marked the first walk-off blast for Baylor since Alex Colyer's ninth-inning homer against Oklahoma State on April 4, 2009.
The Lady Bears overcame a 6-0 deficit after the first inning, making it the largest comeback since trailing 7-1 at Texas Tech on April 6, 2007. BU went on to win that game 14-9.
"This team could have given up after the first inning," head coach Glenn Moore said. "But they kept on fighting and it paid off for them. This win is great for our team, but we have to come out and do it again tomorrow to keep our goals in sight."
Five different Baylor players registered two hits on the day, while Vannatta and Bree Hanafin each added three RBI.
Iowa State jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the top half of the first, as an RBI-single from Erica Miller got things going for the Cyclones. With the bases loaded and one out, Alex Johnson delivered a grand slam to left center for a 5-0 lead, and Heidi Kidwell added another single for an RBI for a six-run inning.
Baylor answered back with a six-run inning of its own in the bottom of the third. Dani Leal started the inning by reaching on an error at short and Megan Turk and KJ Freeland loaded the bases with back-to-back singles. A passed ball allowed Leal to score, and Kayce Walker delivered an RBI-single to left center to cut the deficit to four. Courtney Nieten picked up an RBI on a groundout to second, putting runners at second and third with two outs. Hanafin then took an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall for a three-run shot to tie the game. The home run was the first for BU at Getterman Stadium since March 18 against South Alabama.
The Cyclones took the lead back in the fourth after Baylor seemed to get out of the inning unscathed. With two outs and a runner on second, Miller hit a grounder to third and Leal fired over to first, however, the ball squirted out of Hanafin's glove allowing Berry to score for a 7-6 advantage.
Again, the Lady Bears answered, as Vannatta singled under the glove of the second baseman that brought Freeland around from second to tie the game.
With the game still tied in the bottom of the seventh, Baylor delivered the dramatics. Following a single from Nicole Wesley, Vannatta took a 2-1 pitch and belted her team-tying seventh home run of the season over left center for the walk-off win.
Courtney Repka (17-13) picked up the complete-game win, allowing eight hits, seven runs, five earned, one walk and striking out two.
The Lady Bears' 12 hits were the most since recording 15 against Kansas on April 10.
Baylor wrap up the series with Iowa State on Sunday beginning at noon. Following the game, the team's five seniors will be honored for Senior Day.
