Upcoming Event: Softball versus Omaha on February 6, 2026 at 10 a.m.
10 a.m.
Softball
Omaha
Iowa State University Athletics
Friday, February 26
Phoenix, Ariz.
12:00 PM
Iowa State
10-1
10
vs
6
Portland State
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Portland State
4
0
1
1
0
0
0
6
10
0
Iowa State
3
0
1
3
3
0
X
10
11
1
No. 25 Cyclones Top PSU, GCU Friday In Phoenix
02.26.2021 | Softball
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Senior Sami Williams hit three home runs on Friday to help No. 25 Iowa State (11-1) to a 2-0 opening day at the GCU Purple Classic. The Cyclones topped Portland State (1-1), 10-6, to open the tournament, followed by a 7-2 victory over host GCU (5-7).
Pitcher Karlie Charles was outstanding in two relief appearances. The native of The Colony, Texas, went 2-0 on the day and did not give up a run in 8.2 total innings of work. Charles rang up a career high eight strikeouts in the win over Portland State.
Iowa State 10, Portland State 6
The Vikings came out of the gates with a flurry in their 2021 season opener, putting four runs on the board in the top of the first. Rachel Menlove got the scoring started with a one-out RBI single up the middle. Ariana Abalos followed suit to make it a 2-0 PSU lead. Olivia Dean ripped a 2-RBI single to left field to cap the inning and put the Cyclones in a 4-0 hole.
Iowa State responded quickly. Following a lead-off single for Carli Spelhaug, Williams came to the plate and hit her first home run of the day. The two-run shot to center halved PSU's lead to 4-2. Following a double for Logan Schaben, Milaysia Ochoa brought the senior home with a RBI single to make it 4-3 after one.
Following a scoreless second inning, Portland State extended its lead to 5-3 on a fielder's choice in the third. Mikayla Ramos and Ochoa both drew walks in the home half of the inning before a Kali Gose RBI base hit to left once again drew Iowa State within a run at 5-4.
PSU plated another run in the fourth, but Charles entered to pitch in relief of Shannon Mortimer and got the Cyclones out of trouble. Charles rang up back-to-back strikeouts to leave three Viking runners stranded.
Skyler Ramos walked, followed by another Carli Spelhaug single in the bottom of the fourth. Williams then dug in and launched home run number two, a three run shot to right center that gave Iowa State its first lead of the day at 7-6.
Carli Spelhaug collected her third hit of the game and an RBI on a single down the right field line in the fifth. A Mikayla Ramos two-RBI base hit later in the inning would plate the final runs of the game, as Iowa State opened the GCU Purple Classic with a 10-6 win.
Williams ended the game 2-of-4 at the plate with two home runs while tying a career high with five RBI.
Charles picked up the win in relief, giving up no runs on two hits with a career high eight strikeouts in just 3.2 innings of work.
Iowa State 7, Grand Canyon 2
Game two of the day started with more of the same from Williams. The senior hit a solo home run to left field to give the Cyclones a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. It was the third home run in five at bats on the day for the native of Laguna Niguel, Calif.
GCU plated one unearned run in the home half of the inning, but starter Janessa Jasso would leave the bases loaded as she worked her way out of trouble. An RBI double by Daisy Taloa in the ensuing inning gave the Lopes a 2-1 advantage, and Charles once again entered in relief to get ISU out of the inning.
The sophomore was equally as effective in her second appearance of the day. She allowed four hits over the next 5.0 while picking up two strikeouts to quiet the GCU bats.
The Cyclone offense took control in the top of the third. Mikayla Ramos notched a single through the right side, and Williams came in to score on a GCU throwing error to tie the game at 2-2. Schaben, a senior, then crushed her first home run of the year, a two-run shot to left center to give ISU the lead for good.
Three scoreless innings followed, until the Cyclones tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh. With runners on the corners, Schaben stole second base, and Williams was able to race home on a GCU throwing error. Ochoa capped the day with a two-RBI double down the right field line to make it a 7-2 Iowa State lead.
Ellie Spelhaug entered to pitch the final inning and closed the door on any thought of a GCU rally to help Iowa State improve to 11-1 on the season. Charles came away with her second win of the day to improve to 5-0 on the season.
On Deck
Iowa State will be playing two games Saturday at Farrington Softball Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. The Cyclones open the day at noon CT vs. Portland State, followed by a 6 p.m. first pitch vs. No. 13 Arizona State.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Charles, Karlie (4-0)
L: B Rose (0-1)
Batting:
RBI: S Garcia 1 ; R Menlove 1 ; A Abalos 1 ; H Sisul 1 ; O Dean 2
SH: A Abalos 1
Base Running:
RUNS: M Bruno 1 ; M Thompson 1 ; S Garcia 1 ; E Johansen 1 ; R Menlove 1 ; A Abalos 1
SB: M Bruno 1 ; M Thompson 2
HBP: E Johansen 1
Batting:
2B: Schaben, Logan 1
HR: Williams, Sami 2
RBI: Spelhaug, Carli 1 ; Williams, Sami 5 ; Ramos, Mikayla 2 ; Ochoa, Milaysia 1 ; Gose, Kali 1
SH: Ramos, Skyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Spelhaug, Carli 3 ; Williams, Sami 2 ; Ramos, Mikayla 1 ; Schaben, Logan 1 ; Gose, Kali 1 ; Orr, Alyssa 1 ; Ramos, Skyler 1
SB: Schaben, Logan 1
HBP: Gose, Kali 1 ; Orr, Alyssa 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
5
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballUTL
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballIF
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