PEKIN, Ill. ? Bradley built a 3-1 lead, but couldn't hold on as Iowa State scored three times in the fifth and added an insurance run in the seventh to top the Braves 5-3 Sunday afternoon at the Country Inn & Suites Invitational at the Dragon's Dome.
The Cyclones (4-0 overall) took an early lead, pushing a run across in the top of the first inning. Kelsey Kidwell and Carleigh Berry opened the game with back-to-back singles. With runners at first and third, Berry stole second base and a Bradley error throwing error allowed Kidwell to race home.
Bradley (2-1 overall) scored twice in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead. With no outs and runners at first and third, junior Janay Mitchell (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) drove home freshman Jackie Roth (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) with a groundout to the right side of the infield. Freshman Julie Sherman (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) followed with a single up the middle to plate sophomore Denise Jilka (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) and put the Braves ahead 2-1.
Bradley added another run in the bottom of the third inning. Junior Amanda Clack (Hillsboro, Mo./Hillsboro) had a leadoff single and came around to score on a double to left center off the bat of senior Alicia Bachkora (Overland Park, Kan./Notre Dame de Sion) to give BU a 3-1 lead.
Iowa State retook the lead in the fifth inning, pushing three runs across to go ahead 4-3. Carrie Monroe opened the inning with a double and moved to third on a Heidi Kidwell infield single. Kidwell stole second and a Bradley error on the play allowed Monroe to race home. A Berry single and stolen base put runners at second and third with one out for the Cyclones. It appeared Bradley may get out of the jam after Bradley senior pitcher Ashley Birdsong (Otis, Ore./Taft) struck out Amanda Bradberry looking, but Alex Johnson provided the big hit of the inning with a two-run infield single to highlight the frame for Iowa State.
The Braves threatened in the sixth, putting runners at first and second with just one out. Iowa State pitcher Rachel Zabriskie struck out the next batter and got pinch hitter Katelyn Kegley (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) to pop out to end the threat.
The Cyclones added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning to take a 5-3 lead. Berry, who was 3-for-4 with two runs scored in the game, had a two-out double to left and Bradberry followed with a ground-rule double to right center to drive home Berry with Iowa State's fifth run of the contest.
Zabriskie retired the Braves in order in the seventh to seal the win for Iowa State as the Cyclones claimed the title of the 2009 Country Inn & Suites Invitational with a perfect 4-0 record.
Birdsong struck out 10 and walked none in the loss as she fell to 1-1 on the year. She scattered nine hits and gave up four earned runs (five total) in the loss.
Bradley returns to action at 6 p.m. as they close out play at the 2009 Country Inn & Suites Invitational against in-state rival Western Illinois.
