Iowa State earned more conference wins this weekend in Austin than they have all season.

The Longhorns lost their three-game series against the Cyclones with a 4-2 defeat Sunday. Iowa State came into the weekend with just one Big 12 victory.

Junior pitcher Paige von Sprecken started on the mound for the Longhorns, pitching five innings and allowing eight hits and two earned runs.

Consecutive singles put the Cyclones on base early in the first inning. A Texas error put another runner on base, but senior shortstop Devon Tunning connected with freshman infielder Kaitlyn Slack to tag the runner at second.

Tunning watched as a grounder bounced and escaped her legs, giving the Cyclones a 2-0 lead. 

“Offensively, they were tough outs,” head coach Connie Clark said. “They were able to execute the short game if they wanted to.” 

In the bottom of the first, senior third baseman Celina Felix was brought home with an RBI single from freshman catcher Taylor Ellsworth, bringing the score to 2-1. 

The Longhorns tied it up at 2-2 in the second, but that was the end of Texas’ scoring for the day. 

“We need to be able to move runners from station A to station B to station C and then get them home and I think we were beat in that facet.” Clark said.

The Cyclones erupted in the fourth and fifth innings with help from Texas errors. Freshman Megan Schweitzer blasted a double to get on base and freshman Talyn Lewis brought Schweitzer home to take a
3-2 lead. 

In the fifth, von Sprecken walked junior infielder Nychole Antillon. A sac fly brought her home, giving the Cyclones a 4-2 lead. 

“I know nobody is trying to make errors,” Clark said. “But we just didn’t take care of the ball defensively, so we gave them so much extra momentum.”

Sophomore pitcher Brooke Bolinger stepped in with hopes of a save, but the damage was already done.

“I think team 2017 — their legacy is still out in front of them,” Clark said. “You have to really reach deep and figure out, are you gonna keep plugging forward, keep competing and keep working it even when your back’s against the wall? Or have a pity party and give up? The game is challenging at times, and we’re in a challenging place.”