AMES, Iowa— In a hot and muggy afternoon in central Iowa it was a slight weather delay and two four run innings that led to an 8-0 run-rule victory in five innings for the Big 12's Iowa State Cyclones Tuesday afternoon from the Cyclone Sports Complex.
 
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Jaiden Ralston (2-5)
Loss: Peyton Paulsen (3-8)
 
South Dakota mustered two hits against the Big 12 foe in the midweek clash in Ames. Kiya Johnson recorded both hits for South Dakota with a single to left field and the other to shallow centerfield.
 
Iowa State manufactured the first run of the game in the bottom half of the first inning. After a lead-off ground out, a walk and a passed ball put the first runner in scoring position. Another ground out moved her 60 feet to third before a single up the middle plated the game's first run.
 
Later in the first frame, a second walk followed by a three-run home run quickly made it a 4-0 game. Then Mother Nature had a say with a small pop-up storm in the vicinity led to a nearly one-hour weather delay.
 
Coyote starter Peyton Paulsen (3-8) would settle down after the weather delay and first inning. She would hold the Cyclones scoreless for the next three innings to keep it 4-0 through four innings.
 
In the fifth, an error would get the first runner of the inning on. Paulsen would have two runners on with two away in the frame, seemingly ready to work out of the small jam. But a five-pitch walk would load the bases and Iowa State's Isabelle Nosan would homer to left centerfield to complete the 8-0 run-rule victory in five innings.
 
Paulsen worked all 4.2 innings, allowing just five hits to a high-powered Iowa State offense on the outing.
 
Up Next: South Dakota returns to Summit League action this weekend with a trip north to Grand Forks, North Dakota for a three-game set with the Fighting Hawks April 17-19. Friday's game is set for a 6 p.m. first pitch from Grand Forks.