NISC Championship Round: Game 1

Championship Round
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 6, IOWA STATE 5

FORT COLLINS, CO – Samantha Manti threw 4 2/3 innings of quality relief for Loyola Marymount, who came back from a 5-1 deficit against Iowa State and finished off the rally with two runs in the top of the seventh to advance in the NISC Championship round.

With two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning, Maddison Flores stroked a two-run single to cap the comeback for the Lions (40-19). Manti (15-6) came in the third inning and was next to flawless, allowing only a home run to Sami Williams, which was her school-record 16th of the season.

Iowa State (35-24) scored two runs in the first inning, then extended the lead to 4-1 on a two-run single from Skyler Ramos.

LMU began its comeback in earnest with a solo home run by Riley Ehlen, making it 5-2 in the fifth. Two more runs came across in the sixth, on an RBI single from Flores and a sacrifice fly from Delanie Wisz.

Andrea Gonzalez doubled off the right field wall with one out in the seventh for LMU; a foul-out to left field and a walk, Iowa State almost had the play it needed, but an error by pitcher Emma Hylen extended the inning.

Loyola Marymount will play the winner of Friday’s second game, either Liberty or UT Arlington, while Iowa State will play the loser in an elimination game Saturday.