Iowa State Drops Two to Oklahoma State in Sunday Doubleheader

STILLWATER, Okla. ? The Iowa State softball team dropped both ends of a double header against Oklahoma State Sunday afternoon at Oklahoma State's Cowgirl Stadium. Oklahoma State claimed game one, 2-0, and secured the sweep with a 5-2 victory in game two. With the losses, Iowa State's record falls to 9-22 overall and 1-6 in Big 12 play.

Freshman Katie Reichling took the loss on the mound in game one, her record falling to 0-6. Freshman Alyssa Ransom got the loss in the second game, her record falling to 7-12. OSU pitcher Jessica Hoppock earned the win in game one, while Kristen Neil got it in game two. OSU improves to 22-21 overall and 2-5 in league play.

Iowa State and Oklahoma State played a close game through the first three innings in game one as neither team found the scoreboard. The Cowgirls jumped ahead in the bottom of the fourth inning when OSU's Stephanie Nicholson scored on an error by freshman Ashley Killeen at catcher. Crystal Lee scored two plays later on a single by Jade Lindly to take a 2-0 lead going into the fifth. The Cyclones had an opportunity to score late in the fifth but senior Ashley Core was put out at third when she tried to steal. ISU couldn't get the bats going the rest of the game and dropped game one, 2-0. Iowa State had two hits and one error compared to six hits and zero errors for Oklahoma State. Senior Julia Lindsey and Reichling each had hits for the Cyclones.

Iowa State broke a four-game non-scoring streak in game two when it scored two runs in the top of the second inning, but fell short as OSU won the game, 5-2.

The Cowgirls jumped on the board right away in the second game with a run in the first inning and another one in the second. The Cyclones soon tied up the game when junior Misty Kimura scored on a Kelly Wardein single and Wardein scored on a Jennifer Bigbee single. The game was tied, 2-2, going into the third. After a scoreless third inning, Oklahoma State scored three more runs in the fourth to put the game out of reach and took the 5-2 win and the series sweep. ISU had a season-high 12 hits and only one error compared to only six hits for the Cowgirls. ISU had hits from Lindsey (3), Cary Akins (1), Killeen (1), Jessica Quade (1), Kimura (1), Reichling (1), Wardein (2), Bigbee (1) and Fallon Johnson (1).

Iowa State will take a short break from conference action when it travels to Cedar Falls to take on Northern Iowa on Wednesday, April 14, starting at 4 p.m. The Cyclones defeated the Panthers, 8-0, back on April 1 in Ames. ISU will then play host to intrastate rival, Iowa, on Thursday April 15 starting at 3 p.m. at the Southwest Athletic Complex.