Iowa State Defeats Texas Tech, 6-3

AMES, Iowa -- Senior Katie Ruby hit her eighth home run of the season and the Cyclones had three runs in the sixth inning as the Iowa State softball team defeated Texas Tech, 6-3, Saturday afternoon at the Southwest Athletic Complex. With the win, Iowa State improves to 19-26 overall and 6-11 in Big 12 play.

Freshman Kristen Karanzias recorded her sixth win of the season to improve to 6-9 on the season. Senior Jen Bice recorded her first save of the year, facing one batter and getting a putout on first base. Texas Tech pitcher Amie Stines recorded the loss for the Red Raiders, her record falling to 8-18 on the season. Texas Tech falls to 20-39 overall and 3-14 in league play.

The two teams took a 0-0 tie into the fourth inning before Ruby hit a home run over the scoreboard in center field to give ISU a 1-0 lead. The Cyclones scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning when senior Erica Martinez singled to center field and in the process batted in runs by junior Julia Lindsey and senior Adi Blackmon. The score was 3-0 after five innings.

The Cyclones had their biggest inning of the game in the bottom of the sixth when Lindsey hit a single to left field and scored sophomore Kim Rodgers and junior Ashley Core. Blackmon scored her second run of the game when Ruby reached base on an error by the Texas Tech short stop. Iowa State led the game, 6-0, after six innings.

Texas Tech got on the board in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs on three hits, but with a runner on third base in scoring position, Bice came in and got the third out and preserved the 6-3 win for Iowa State.

"I thought the kids played well today," head coach Ruth Crowe said. "I thought Kristen (Karanzias) pitched a great game and Katie Ruby's home run really set the tone for the game today."

Ruby, Martinez, Kelly Wardein and Rodgers each had two hits for the Cyclones, while Lindsey and Core added a hit each. ISU had 10 hits to Texas Tech's eight, while the Red Raiders had one error to ISU's zero.

Iowa State and Texas Tech will take to the field again tomorrow at 11 a.m., at the Southwest Athletic Complex. It is the last home game of the season for the Cyclones and they will honor seniors Adi Blackmon, Jen Bice, Cassie Kastler, Erica Martinez, Molly McNertney and Katie Ruby before the game.

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