Cyclones Win Two, Improve To 2-1
AMES, Iowa - Iowa State (2-1, 0-0 Big 12) notched a 3-2 win over Green Bay (1-3, 0-0 Horizon League) and scored five runs in the eighth against Western Illinois (1-2, 0-0 Summitt League) to bag the 6-2 extra-innings victory on Saturday. Junior Tori Torrescano (2-0) was the Cyclones' winning pitcher in each contest.
Cyclones Erica Miller, Anna Cole, Kayla Hardiman and Lexi Slater each had multi-hit games on the day and Miller, Torrescano and Cole each had multi-RBI games.
Against Green Bay, Iowa State scored early to match Green Bay's two runs and two hits. In the second inning, the Cyclones tallied two runs as Erin Johnson scored on a double by Erica Miller and freshman Kayla Hardiman singled to score Miller.
The Cyclones never looked back, Torrescano throwing all seven innings, allowing just three hits and two earned runs. Allison Goecks took the loss for the Phoenix, falling to 0-2 on opening weekend.
Iowa State took on the Fighting Leathernecks in game two and Johnson stole home plate, scoring an unearned run, in the second inning to put the Cyclones up 1-0. The lead held until the fifth inning when the Leathernecks plated their own unearned run on a throwing error by Iowa State pitcher Miranda Kemp.
In the sixth, third baseman Dalyn Varela smashed a ball deep into the outfield but Western Illinois' KC Dunne was waiting at the wall to make the catch and the teams each stood strong through seven, forcing extra innings.
In the eighth, the Cyclones' Sara Davison slid into home off Lexi Slater's double. Torrescano hit her second home run of the season to build a 4-1 lead that Cole grew to 6-1 with her own two-run bomb, scoring pinch runner Taylor Smith.
The Leathernecks scored a final run in the bottom of the frame but couldn't mount a comeback, falling 6-2. Hailey Bickford (0-2) took the loss for Western Illinois.
Next weekend the Cyclones travel to Tempe, Ariz. For the Littlewood Classic, Feb. 17-19, hosted by reigning World Series champs Arizona State. Iowa State will start the weekend with a 10 a.m. game against Minnesota on Friday, followed by a match up against Illinois State at 2 p.m. Both times central.
