Cyclones Drop Pair to Defending National Champs

NORMAN, Okla. – Iowa State (9-12, 0-2 Big 12) dropped a pair of games Saturday afternoon to No. 1 Oklahoma (21-1, 2-0 Big 12) at the recently opened Love's Field.

After inclement weather forced Friday's game to be pushed to Sunday, the two teams squared off in a doubleheader to kick off the Big 12 Conference slate.

The Sooners took both games on the day, winning game one by four and game two by nine.

Alesia Ranches was the lone Cyclone to notch multiple hits on the day, registering one in both contests. Ranches also drove in both runs for the Cyclones in game number two's first inning.

Four different pitchers saw action for ISU, as the team limited OU's dangerous offense to just four runs in the first game before the Sooner bts found their stride in game two, scoring 11.

OU 4, ISU 0
Saturday's first game was a low-hitting affair, as the two teams combined for just nine hits on the afternoon. ISU was shut out for just the second time this season.

The Cyclones tallied four hits on the afternoon but were unable to bring any across in the game, stranding six. ISU had its best shot at scoring in the sixth, putting runners on the corners with one out. OU handled the threat though and was able to get out unscathed.

The Sooners also stranded six runners in the game but were able to bring across four runs to earn their 19th win of the season. Three of Oklahoma's runs came off of a Cydney Sanders homer – her fifth of the season.

The combination of Lauren Schurman and Jaiden Ralston otherwise did a good job of keeping the Sooners in check, with Ralston not surrendering a hit in 2.2 innings of relief work.

Alesia Ranches, Camille Marin, McKenna Andrews and Olivia Wardlow had hits on the day, while Milaysia Ochoa drew a pair of walks. Angelina Allen was held hitless for just the third time this season as Ochoa reached base in her 20^th-straght game – the longest streak of her career.

How it Happened
Ochoa led the game off with a walk, but that was it for the Cyclones in the first. Oklahoma didn't fare much better, going three-up, three-down in the leadoff frame.

The top-ranked Sooners put two on the base path in the second thanks to an error and a walk but were left stranded as Schurman got a fly out to end the inning.

ISU still didn't record a hit in the third as the inning flipped back to Oklahoma. In the bottom of the third, the Sooners led off with a single and later put a second on via walk. Alyssa Brito sent a single into right to plate Oklahoma's first run of the game.

After a pair of groundouts in the fourth, Ranches struck a double to the right field wall to give the Cyclones their first hit of the game. ISU would be unable to capitalize though, leaving Ranches stranded.

Oklahoma threw a crooked number on the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame, plating three to make it 4-1. A single and hit batter put two on for OU before Cydney Sanders crushed a homer over the right-center fence.

The Cyclones would hold OU hitless for the remainder of the game but were unable to take advantage of it, stranding four runners over the final three innings before falling to the defending national champs.

Saturday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: N/A
Oklahoma: Cydney Sanders (5)

WP – Kelly Maxwell (6-0): 7.0 IP, 4 hits, 0 runs, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Lauren Schurman (1-2): 3.1 IP, 5 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, 0 strikeouts

OU 11, ISU 2 (5 inn.)
Game two was much different than game one, as the top-ranked Sooners flexed their muscles, finding their swing and earning a nine-run victory in five innings.

Iowa State struck early in game two, plating a pair in the first frame, but from there it was all Sooners as the OU bats came alive, totaling ten hits with nine going for extra bases. Four of the nine extra-base hits were homers, as OU's Cydney Sanders had three on the afternoon (one in game one and two in game two).

Five different Cyclones had hits in game two and Ranches had both RBI. Ochoa extended her reached base streak to 21 and has now reached in every game this year. The last game she didn't reach safely was last year in the Big 12 Tournament against the Sooners.

Karlie Charles and Tatum Johnson combined to pitch the whole game for the Cyclones. Johnson had her longest outing of the season, allowing just three earned runs against OU's potent offense.

How it Happened
Allen walked and Poole doubled in the first to put runners on second and third early for the Cyclones. ISU was able to do what it couldn't in the first game, drive in runners in scoring position. Ranches sent a single into left center to plate both Allen and Poole and give the Cyclones an early 2-0 lead.

All the Iowa State momentum was snatched away in the bottom of the frame, as the Sooners put a five-piece on the board thanks in part to back-to-back homers.

Oklahoma scored a run in both the second and third before exploding for another crooked number in the fourth. Sanders belted her third homer of the day in the fourth, extending the OU lead to 11-2.

Saturday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: N/A
Oklahoma: Jayda Coleman (3), Cydney Sanders 2(7), Rylie Boone (1)

WP – Nicole May (7-0): 4.0 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Karlie Charles (1-4): 0.2 IP, 5 hits, 5 runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts

On Deck
The Cyclones will be back at Love's Field tomorrow, March 10, to take on the Sooners in the weekend series finale. Sunday's first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the contest will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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Team Stats

Milaysia Ochoa

Angelina Allen

Tiana Poole

Ashley Minor

Players Mentioned

Angelina Allen

McKenna Andrews

Karlie Charles

Tatum Johnson

Camille Marin

Milaysia Ochoa

Jaiden Ralston

Alesia Ranches

Lauren Schurman

Olivia Wardlow

Players Mentioned

Angelina Allen

McKenna Andrews

Karlie Charles

Tatum Johnson

Camille Marin

Milaysia Ochoa

Jaiden Ralston

Alesia Ranches

Lauren Schurman

Olivia Wardlow

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