NISC Championship Game: Iowa vs. BYU

IOWA 9, BYU 7
 
FORT COLLINS, CO – Iowa assembled an amazing seventh-inning rally Saturday in the 2023 NISC championship game, scoring five runs with two outs to take the lead before holding off BYU at the finish to earn the title.
 
Grace Banes hit two solo home runs for the Hawkeyes (35-27) on the way to earning MVP honors for the event.
 
After two quick outs in the top of the seventh and trailing 7-4, Sammy Diaz and Brylee Klosterman each singled for Iowa. Tristan Doster came off the bench to hit a two-run triple, and then freshman Anna Streff (who entered the game hitting .195) hit a triple to tie things up, 7-7. Tatianna Roman’s infield hit brought in a run, and the rally was completed with a single by another freshman, Tory Bennett.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Iowa pitcher Jalen Adams got two outs on a grounder and a strikeout, walked a batter, then finished it off with a flyout to left field.
 
Banes hit a solo home run to left field in the second inning as Iowa grabbed a 1-0 lead, but BYU (35-17) countered in the bottom of the frame as a sacrifice fly by Maddie Udall scored Martha Epenesa to tie the score, 1-1.
 
In the third, Klosterman hit a two-run homer (her fourth of the season) to put Iowa back ahead, 3-1. Banes added a one-out solo homer in the fifth as the lead grew to 4-1.
 
Maddie Bejarano came through for BYU in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out three-run homer that tied the score at 4-4.
 
In the sixth, BYU put runners on first and second with singles by Hailey Morrow and Epenesa. On a bunt attempt by Jaelyn Lambert, Iowa tried to get the runner at third, but the throw went into left field and two runners scored to give the Cougars a 6-4 lead. Alexis Gilio then singled to score Lambert as the lead moved to 7-4.
 
Here is the 2023 NISC all-tournament team:
Grace Banes – Iowa (MVP)
Denali Loecker – Iowa
Nia Carter – Iowa
Jalen Adams – Iowa
Maddie Bejarano – BYU
Maddie Udall – BYU
Chloe Temples – BYU
Allison Yoder – South Dakota State
Tori Kniesche – South Dakota State
Courtney Wyche – Maryland
Megan Mikami – Maryland