Savannah Sanders hadn’t allowed a yet, but she was frustrated.
The first two Iowa batters of the seventh inning reached base. Her smooth start became bumpy. It’s why Iowa State pitching coach Brittany Weil-Miller came to the mound and delivered a quick message to Sanders.
You dominated the game. Dominate the finish.
That was the plan, but it was likely the last thing Weil-Miller said that motivated Sanders to do so. It didn’t matter if the two runners scored. ISU already pushed across five runs. The game was decided.
But the shutout wasn’t — and Sanders was chasing it like Iowa hitters failing at her pitchers dropping in the dirt.