Iowa State Visits No. 1 Sooners

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State hits the road for the first time in seven games for a showdown with No. 1 Oklahoma in Norman this weekend. Due to expected inclement weather in Norman, the Cyclones and Sooners will now play a doubleheader Friday, beginning at 4 p.m., before concluding the series Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Matchup: Iowa State (21-21, 2-7 Big 12) vs. No. 1 Oklahoma (39-1, 8-1 Big 12)
Where: Marita Hynes Field - Norman, Okla.
When: Friday, April 22 (4 & 6:30 p.m.) / Saturday, April 23 (1 p.m.)
Watch: Bally Sports Oklahoma (Friday) / soonersports.tv (Saturday)
Live Stats: Cyclones.com

Key Storylines

Iowa State downed Texas Tech in a thrilling series opener last weekend before falling in games two and three in five-innings. ISU's midweek contest against St. Thomas, scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed due to rain.
The Cyclones are no strangers to playing in close games this season. Fourteen of ISU's games have been decided by two runs or less. The Cyclones are 4-10 in such games, including 3-6 in games decided by one run. Iowa State has left the tying or winning run stranded in scoring position in the final inning of three of those 10 losses and has lost via walk off three times.
Two weekends ago, Iowa State upset No. 6 Oklahoma State in game one of the series. The win over the Cowgirls was the highest ranked opponent the Cyclones defeated since beating No. 3 Texas in 2005. It was just the eighth win over a top 10 foe in program history.

At the Plate

Iowa State's 40 home runs on the year are tied for the fourth-most in a season in program history.
ISU has hit 69 doubles this season, the 13th-most nationally.
The Cyclones reached base via walk 148 times in their first 42 games, the 24th-most nationally.
Carli Spelhaug, who is 41-of-41 on stolen base attempts in her career, is the only active Division I player with a perfect stolen base percentage (min. 40 attempts).
Spelhaug is averaging 1.17 runs per game (11th nationally). Her 49 runs scored this season are fifth all-time in ISU single-season history. She is one run away from becoming the second player in school history to score 50 runs in two different seasons.
Freshman Angelina Allen has been a valuable addition for the Cyclones in the top third of the order this season. Her 42 hits are ninth in the Big 12 and are second among league freshmen.
Mikayla Ramos' 13 home runs are tied for the fourth-most in a single season in program history.
Ramos has logged 47 RBIs in 42 games this season, the 11th-most in the country. Last season, Ramos batted in 57 runs to break Iowa State's single-season RBI record. By comparison, Ramos had 39 RBIs through 42 games in 2021.
Ramos got off to a hot start this season but has struggled since conference play began. She broke out of her slump last weekend, batting .500 with three doubles and three RBIs in the series against Texas Tech.

In the Circle

Saya Swain is one of 10 pitchers in the nation to log two games with 16+ strikeouts this season. Swain is averaging 10.0 strikeouts per seven innings (22nd nationally).
Ellie Spelhaug has matched her career high in strikeouts (6) four times this season, including games against No. 6 UCLA and No. 5 Washington. Of the 93 runs Spelhaug has allowed this season, 35 of them have been unearned (38 percent).
Karlie Charles owns a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 5.7:1 (57 K, 10 BB), the 36th-best mark in the nation and second in the Big 12.
Charles walks only 1.07 batters per seven innings, which is 29th nationally and first in the Big 12.

Series History

Oklahoma leads, 87-28
Last Meeting: 3/28/21 (L, 22-2)
Last Cyclone Win: 4/22/06 (5-2)
Streak: L40

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Players Mentioned

Angelina Allen

Karlie Charles

Mikayla Ramos

Carli Spelhaug

Ellie Spelhaug

Saya Swain

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