Iowa State Sweeps Doubleheader with North Dakota State

AMES, Iowa ? The Iowa State softball team made an impressive home debut with a doubleheader sweep of visiting North Dakota State on Tuesday at the Southwest Athletic Complex. The Cyclones rallied to win game one, 4-3, and posted a commanding 6-1 victory in the second contest, which was shortened due to darkness. The Cyclones improve to 11-15 on the season.

In the first game, the Bison led the Cyclones 1-0 after the top of the first when sophomore Katie Reichling homered to right field, driving in senior Kim Rodgers to give Iowa State a 2-1 lead at the end of the first inning. It was Reichling's first home run of the season.

North Dakota State bounced back in the top half of the second inning to score two runs to retake the lead at 3-2. The Bison would hold the advantage until the bottom of the sixth when ISU rallied for the victory. Reichling began the scoring with a double to right field, driving in freshman pinch runner Stephanie Mosley from second. Mosley had come in to run for sophomore Ashley Killeen who had a lead-off double to right center. Then with one out, junior Cary Akins singled to right, scoring sophomore Jessica Quade from third. Quade had reached base earlier in the inning after being struck by a pitch from NDSU pitcher Allison Bakke following Killeen's hit.

Iowa State sophomore pitcher Alyssa Ransom went the distance to earn the victory, improving her mark to 6-9 on the season.

“We're lucky we got a win in the first game,” said ISU head coach Ruth Crowe. “We came pretty tight. I thought we did a good job and we really battled to get those two runs late.”

In game two, again the Bison jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Cyclones responded in the bottom half of the inning. Rodgers led off the ISU at bat with a triple to center. Then with two outs, Rodgers came home to score on a throwing error by The Bison shortstop trying to get Reichling at first.

Iowa State then added five more runs to seal the victory beginning with two in the second. Akins reached on another error by the North Dakota State shortstop and advanced to second. Again, with two outs, the Cyclones got a single from sophomore Fallon Johnson to move Akins to third. Johnson also moved into scoring position by stealing second. Both Akins and Johnson came home on a RBI single by Rodgers. In the third with two outs senior Diana Reuter belted a three-run homer to left center to cap the Cyclone scoring. Reichling picked up the pitching victory, leveling her season record to 5-5.

“I thought the second game was much better,” Crowe said. “Diana Reuter came up big for us with her home run and that took North Dakota out of their game. I thought Katie pitched a really good game. I thought our defense made key plays when it needed to.”

Iowa State returns to action on Thursday at the Southwest Athletic Complex when it hosts instate rival Drake at 3 p.m.