Eagle Staff Report

LUBBOCK -- Freshman Rhiannon Kliesing struck out nine over seven innings, and the Aggie bats did just enough to help the ninth-ranked Texas A&M softball team close out a series sweep over Texas Tech with a 3-1 victory Saturday at Rocky Johnson Field.

A&M (31-6, 3-0 Big 12) remained undefeated in Big 12 play and had an easier time doing it a day after tying Tech (7-24, 0-2) in the seventh and needing nine innings to win 7-3.

In Game 2, Kliesing (9-4) scattered four hits over seven innings, walking one and allowing one run.

"I was very impressed with Rhi's performance on the mound today," A&M head coach Jo Evans said. "She started the game a little shaky but got stronger as the game went on. In the second inning, she was able to get a couple of really big strikeouts to keep Tech from scoring."

Kliesing had little trouble with the Red Raiders after the second inning, but Tech put pressure on her early.

After taking a 1-0 lead on Montana Patin's RBI single in the first, the Red Raiders opened the second with Jennifer Corkin reaching on an error, stealing second and advancing to third on Robyn Wike's single. Tech's Jennifer Lee then hit a groundball to second baseman Natalie Villarreal, who threw home to get out Corkin trying to score.

Kliesing struck out the next two batters to escape that jam, then got out of a minor one in the third inning when Tech put runners on first and second with one out. After Wike's leadoff single in the fourth, Kliesing retired the final 12 Red Raiders to earn A&M's first sweep in Lubbock since 2004.

A&M didn't take long to answer Tech's first-inning run. The Aggies tied the game at 1 on Villarreal's RBI double in the second, then took the lead on Erin Glasco's RBI double in the third.

A&M added an insurance run in the fourth when pinch-runner Bailey Schroeder scored on Macie Morrow's single. Schroeder was running for Alex Reynolds, who had led off the inning with a single to left.

A&M will travel to Waco to face No. 15 Baylor at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Getterman Stadium.

Iowa State 2, Baylor 1: WACO -- Iowa State's Sydni Jones hit a two-run homer in the fourth to lift the Cyclones past 15th-ranked Baylor 2-1 on Saturday at Gettermand Stadium.

Baylor (18-8, 1-2 Big 12) took a 1-0 lead on four straight singles, the last by Brette Reagan. Nicole Wesley scored on the hit, but Iowa State threw out Kirsten Shortridge trying to score.

Baylor's Jenny Isham (10-2) suffered the lost, giving up two runs on four hits and one walk over 3 1/3 innings.

Iowa State's Rachel Zabriskie (10-3) threw all seven innings to earn the win.