ISU Opens 2015 With 3-0 Shutout of Utah State

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State softball team kicked off the 2015 season Friday night with a 3-0 shutout win over Utah State at the Bergstrom Indoor Football Facility as part of the Cyclone Indoor Invitational. The win takes ISU to 1-0 on the season, while USU is now 0-1.

ISU got a three-hit and three stolen base night from Brittany Gomez, while pitcher Katie Johnson tossed a complete game shutout, allowing six hits and walking three while striking out four.

Early Advantage
The Cyclones looked to have been in trouble early, having seen Utah State's Sarah Chow lead off the game with a single and a stolen base. Katie Johnson got a couple of outs, but a Hailey Froton single put runners on the corners. Johnson got out of the jam by getting Jo Koons to fly out to left field.

Gomez, who had the second-most hits in a season in ISU history last year with 75, wasted no time opening her account for 2015, firing one between short and third for a single. As she is known to do, Gomez was busy on the base baths, stealing second and third base during Lexi Slater's at-bat, setting up Slater to bring home Gomez on a sac fly to make it 1-0 ISU.

Doubling Up
Freshman Kelsey McFarland recorded a base hit in her first career at-bat to get the bottom of the second going. Two batters later, Gomez got another base hit and took advantage of a lapse of concentration by USU to advance to second and get McFarland to third with only one out. Two batters later, McFarland made it home as Aggies pitcher Noelle Johnson fired a wild pitch into the ground and beyond catcher Sydney Hart to make it 2-0 Cyclones.

Survive and Score
Johnson and the Cyclones found themselves in a bit of a jam in the fifth, as Utah State got a base hit and a walk to get a pair of runners on. However, Johnson was again able to induce the out she needed, forcing a fly out by Chow to center to end the inning.

Once again, ISU made the Aggies pay for not cashing in as Gomez got her third hit and third steal of game in quick time. After a pair of ISU outs, Rachel Hartman registered her second hit of the game with a double down the left field line to bring Gomez home and make it 3-0 Cyclones.

Dramatic Ending
ISU got the first two Utah State batters out in the seventh, but the Aggies staged one last stand, drawing a pair of two-out walks. USU looked to have broken the shutout when Chow got her second hit of the game with a base knock to center, but Gomez made another big play, firing home in more than enough time for Hartman to tag out DP Devin Montgomery to end the rally and the game.

Cyclone of the Game
Brittany Gomez. The junior had seven games with at least three hits last season and she registered her first of this season, going 3-for-3 from the plate. She was busy on the base paths as always, recording three stolen bases, her third game of her career with at least three swipes. She also recorded an outfield assist to get an Aggie runner out at home plate and end the game in ISU's favor.

Up Next
Iowa State continues the Cyclone Indoor Invitational tomorrow with a pair of games. ISU and USU meet again at noon, while the Cyclones take on South Dakota State at 2:30 p.m.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Brittany Gomez

Brittany Gomez

Rachel Hartman

Rachel Hartman

Katie Johnson

Katie Johnson

Kelsey McFarland

Lexi Slater

Lexi Slater

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics