Miller Breaks RBI Record In Win Over SJU

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Cyclone senior Erica Miller drove in an Iowa State-record seven runs on Saturday morning as the Cyclones (9-6, 0-0 Big 12) completed the weekend sweep of St. John's (3-11-1, 0-0 Big East), 11-1, in five innings. No. 1 Alabama (19-0, 0-0 SEC) defeated Iowa State, 6-0, in the second game of the day.

On the season, Miller is hitting a blistering .512 with team-highs in hits (22) and RBI (21). The Pomona, Calif. native has two home runs, tallying 29 for her career. Over the weekend, Miller punished pitchers for .583 hitting and 10 RBI.

Freshman Brittany Gomez, hitting in front of Miller, also had a banner game against the Red Storm, going three-for-three at the plate and stealing two bases to bring her total to 11 on the year. Junior transfer Sarah Hawryluk stole her second and third bases of the season.

The top of the order picked up Iowa State's three hits against the 2012 Women's College World Series champion Crimson Tide as Hawryluk, Gomez and Miller each had a hit. Miller, Tori Torrescano and Sara Davison accounted for the Cyclones' three walks in the game.

Iowa State jumped out to a 7-0 run over the Red Storm in the first game of the day behind Miller's two early hits.

After Hally Lenzine singled in Iowa State's eighth run of the game, it was Miller again with a two-out single up the middle to run the score to 10-1 as the teams went into the fourth.

Continuing the scoring barrage, Liana Henry hit the first home run of her Cyclone career for the final run of the game.

Taylor Smith threw her second complete game of the season, allowing one run on seven hits. The junior walked none and struck out one.

St. John's used three pitchers in the contest but it was starter Francesca Carrullo (0-3) who took the loss for the Red Storm. In a third of an inning, Carrullo was responsible for two earned Cyclone runs, giving up three hits with no walks or strikeouts.

In her second start of the day, Smith (4-2) held Alabama to three runs through five innings. Alabama's only run off a hit in the first five innings was on a home run by Crimson Tide hurler and reigning WCWS MVP, Jackie Traina, in the Tide third. Alabama's first and third runs of the contests came on a groundout and sac fly.

Smith finished the day with five and one-third innings of work, allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits, walking five and striking out none.

Gomez and Miller had back-to-back one-out singles in the Iowa State fourth, giving the visitors their first runner in scoring position for the day but Traina worked out of the jam, not allowing a run to score. Hawryluk reached second base in the top of the sixth after singling and advancing on a wild pitch but was caught stealing for the third out after a Gomez strikeout.

Danielle Richard hit a home run to extend the Tide lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth, followed by a double from Keima Davis, prompting a pitching change for the Cyclones, who sent designated player Torrescano into the circle.

Alabama plated two more runs in the sixth on an RBI-double from Kaila Hunt for the home team's final runs.

Iowa State started the seventh inning with walks from Miller, Torrescano and Sara Davison, loading the bases with no outs, but Traina rebounded to strike out the side, ending the comeback bid and the game.

Traina (10-0) threw a complete game, giving up no runs on three hits, with three walks and nine strikeouts.

The Cyclones are next at the Fresno State Classic March 7-9 with competition starting Thursday March 7 against host Fresno State at 7 p.m. CST.

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Players Mentioned

Sara Davison

Sara Davison

Brittany Gomez

Sarah Hawryluk

Sarah Hawryluk

Liana Henry

Hally Lenzine

Erica Miller

Erica Miller

Taylor Smith

Taylor Smith

Tori Torrescano

Tori Torrescano

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