Cyclones Split Sunday Games

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State softball team wrapped up the Cyclone Indoor Invitational Sunday at the Bergstrom Indoor Practice Facility, splitting a doubleheader. ISU started the day with a 10-1 win over Eastern Illinois in six innings, but fell to North Dakota 1-0 in the tournament's final game.

Iowa State finished the tournament with a 5-1 record. Eastern Illinois finished the weekend with a 3-2 record, while North Dakota leaves Ames with a 1-3

Game One: Iowa State 10 Eastern Illinois 1 (Six Innings)
Brittany Gomez does what she does best to lead off the bottom of the first, bunting to the pitcher and using her speed to beat the throw and get a hit. Two batters later, her fellow senior Aly Cappaert brought her home on a 2-run home run to dead center to give ISU a 2-0 lead. The Cyclones then had to survive a couple of busy innings by EIU. The Panthers were able to load the bases twice in the top of the third, but only plated one run. Eastern Illinois got two on base with one out in the top of the fourth, but Savannah Sanders was able to work her way out of the jam without any damage on the scoreboard.

The bottom of the fourth saw ISU open up its lead a bit. Kirstin Caudle got an infield single and Sammie Hildreth drew a walk. That set the stage for two batters later when Sally Woolpert fired a 2-RBI single to center, bringing home both Cyclone runners and expanding the ISU lead to 4-1 after four innings.

Iowa State had to survive another bases loaded jam in the top of the fifth, as EIU filled them with two outs. However, the freshman hurler Sanders got ISU out of trouble again inducing her eighth strikeout of the game. The Cyclones took advantage of an erratic run of pitching by the Panthers' Jessica Wireman, drawing three walks and getting a single to up the advantage to 5-1. Eastern Illinois brought Michelle Rogers into the circle, but she could not provide many answers, as she walked Kirsten Caudle to bring in another run and make it 6-1.

The Cyclones finished things off in the home half of the sixth. After Gomez led off with a single and her second stolen base of the afternoon. Cathlin Bingham doubled to left to bring in Gomez and make it 8-1 ISU. After Cappaert reached on a fielder's choice and Rachel Hartman walked, Kelsey McFarland ended proceedings with a 2-run double to the wall in left-center to reach the 10-1 final margin.

Game Two: North Dakota 1 Iowa State 0
The Cyclones found themselves in a hole early, as North Dakota got on the board quickly in the top of the first. Nicole Babroswki led off the game with an infield single. Three batters later, Megan Keegan drove her home on an RBI -single to give the Fighting Hawks an early 1-0 edge.

Iowa State's best chance to get on the board came in the bottom half of the first. Gomez led off for Iowa State with a single. Gomez eventually made her way over to third, but ISU ran out of chances to bring her home and left her stranded 60 feet from scoring.

The offense grinded to a halt as Kaylin VanDomelen of UND and Kristine Kimberley of Iowa State held both teams at bay. Kimberley, a sophomore from Urbandale, went five innings, not allowing any base runners to get into scoring position after the first inning. VanDomelen, however, had the edge, as she put together a complete game, allowing four hits and walking none while striking out four. Only two Cyclone batters came to the plate with runners in scoring position, ISU went 0-for-2 in those situations, to go with going 0-of-8 with runners on base.

Up Next
Iowa State begins its five-week road swing with a trip to the Hilton Houston Plaza Invitational hosted by the University of Houston. Iowa State begins the tournament on Friday night at 7 p.m. against the host Cougars. ISU will also play Ball State, Jackson State and Toledo next weekend.

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Players Mentioned

Cathlin Bingham

Aly Cappaert

Kirsten Caudle

Brittany Gomez

Rachel Hartman

Sammie Hildreth

Kristine Kimberley

Kelsey McFarland

Savannah Sanders

Sally Woolpert

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