Cyclones Split Games At Aquafina Invitational

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Iowa State softball team (8-6) went 1-1 on Saturday at the Aquafina Invitational. The Cyclones fell 8-0 to No. 2 Florida (14-1) before defeating Illinois State (4-10) by a score of 5-4 to end the day.

Junior Kaylee Bosworth went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and her first career triple in Iowa State's win over the Redbirds.

Florida 8, Iowa State 0
The Cyclones were unable to get their offense going against Florida ace Kelly Barnhill. The Gator hurler, who entered the game with a 0.38 ERA and a perfect 5-0 record, stymied the Iowa State hitters throughout the afternoon.

Florida started fast, putting two runs on the board before ISU starter Savannah Sanders settled into a groove. The Gators scored first on an RBI triple from Amanda Lorenz, and later got a sac fly off the bat of Janell Wheaton to lead 2-0 after one inning.

Sanders and the Cyclones were solid defensively, hanging zero's on the board in the second and third frames, allowing just one hit. However, the Gators broke through in the fourth, taking control with a six-run inning. Florida racked up seven base hits, including four doubles, in the frame. Emma Hylen entered in relief of Sanders after the first run came across with one out. UF closed the inning with an 8-0 lead.

The Cyclones were unable to get extend the game on offense, falling to the No. 2 Gators in five innings.

Iowa State 5, Illinois State 4
Iowa State rallied from a 1-0 deficit to defeat the Redbirds in the nightcap at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Following three scoreless innings, Illinois State drew first blood in the top of the fourth as Riley Strandgard put down a bunt, and Alex Caliva scored on a Cyclone throwing error.

The Cyclones responded with three runs in the home half of the inning to take their first lead of the day. Stites walked and stole second with two outs to spark the ISU offense. Bosworth then stepped to the plate and laced an RBI single to right center, scoring Stites to tie the game at 1-1.

Sally Woolpert followed suit with an RBI double off the fence in left field, as Bosworth raced home from first. Following a walk by Jackie Chairez and a Kaila Konz base hit, Woolpert scored from third as Hannah Carter reached on Illinois State's lone error of the game, extending the lead to 3-1.

Bosworth was at it again with an RBI triple to right-center in the fifth inning. Stites scored on the play to give the Cyclones a 4-1 advantage. It was the first triple of Bosworth's career. Iowa State added another run in the sixth inning, this time on a triple by the speedy Taylor Nearad, who notched an RBI on the play, scoring Carter.

The Redbirds mounted a rally in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with no outs, but Sanders entered and logged her first save of the season, securing a 5-4 Iowa State win. Brianna Weilbacher improved to 4-2 on the season with the win, going 6.0 innings while giving up four runs (one unearned) on four hits. The senior rang up a season-high eight strikeouts in the outing.

On Deck
The Cyclones close out the Aquafina Invitational by taking on No. 2 Florida on Sunday at 10 a.m. CT.

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Team Stats

Kaylee Bosworth

Hannah Carter

Taylor Nearad

Sami Williams

Players Mentioned

Kaylee Bosworth

Hannah Carter

Jaclyn Chairez

Emma Hylen

Kaila Konz

Taylor Nearad

Savannah Sanders

Brianna Weilbacher

Sally Woolpert

Players Mentioned

Kaylee Bosworth

Hannah Carter

Jaclyn Chairez

Emma Hylen

Kaila Konz

Taylor Nearad

Savannah Sanders

Brianna Weilbacher

Sally Woolpert

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics