Johnson, Cyclones Beat Kansas, 7-2

AMES, Iowa ? Junior Alex Johnson went 2-for-2 with a homer and three RBI and became just the second Iowa State player to reach 100 career runs batted in as the Cyclones defeated Kansas, 7-2, Saturday afternoon at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

With the win Iowa State improves to 24-28 overall and 6-11 in Big 12 play. The six conference wins tie a school record, set in three previous seasons. ISU started just 1-8 in conference play but has split its last five league series.

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Final Stats

Johnson got things started in the first inning with a single down the left field line off KU starter Val George, plating Carleigh Berry who had doubled earlier in the inning.

The score remained 1-0 ISU until the third inning when Johnson blasted her seventh homer of the season to score Amanda Bradberry and make it 3-0. The next batter, Sydni Jones, worked the count to 2-0 before knocking it over the fence in left field to extend the Cyclone advantage to 4-0. The homer was Jones' sixth of the season.

After ISU starting pitcher Rachel Zabriskie got through the fourth with a 4-0 lead she was relieved by Lauren Kennewell to start the fifth, giving her a chance to rest for tomorrow's regular season finale.

KU's Liz Kocon hit a solo homer in the top of the fifth but the Cyclones picked Kennewell up with three more runs in the bottom half of the inning to extend the lead to 7-1.

Bradberry had an RBI single in the inning and Jones came through again after Kansas (21-29, 6-10) pitched around Johnson to get to her. Jones singled down the right field line to score Bradberry and make it 6-1. Dalyn Varela had a run-scoring pinch hit single to plate Johnson for the Cyclones' final tally of the game.

Kansas would add another solo shot in the sixth inning, this one from Dougie McCaulley to make it 7-2.

The middle of Iowa State's lineup went 6-for-9 with six runs batted in. Bradberry, Johnson and Jones each collected two hits in the win. Leadoff hitter Kelsey Kidwell also had a pair of hits for the Cyclones, who posted a Big 12 season-best 11 hits in the contest.

Zabriskie (17-23) tossed four innings of one-hit ball to pick up the win. The sophomore's 17 wins is the most since Kelli Alberts notched 18 in 1987.

George (10-15) suffered the loss for KU, giving up four runs on six hits in three innings of work.

The Cyclones and Jayhawks will tangle again Sunday at noon in the final regular season contest of the season.

Iowa State 7, Kansas 2 (5-2-09 at Ames, Iowa)
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Kansas.............. 000 011 0 - 2 5 0 (21-29, 6-10 Big 12)
Iowa State.......... 103 030 X - 7 11 0 (24-28, 6-11 Big 12)
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Pitchers: Kansas - George, Val; Vertelka, Sarah(4); Blair, Sarah(5). Iowa State -
Zabriskie, Rachel; Kennewell, Lauren(5).
Win-Zabriskie, Rachel(17-23) Loss-George, Val(10-15) T-1:41 A-399
HR KU - McCaulley, Dougie (1); Kocon, Liz (8).
HR IS - Johnson, Alex (7); Jones, Sydni (6).

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Players Mentioned

Amanda Bradberry

Amanda Bradberry

Alex Johnson

Alex Johnson

Sydni Jones

Sydni Jones

Lauren Kennewell

Kelsey Kidwell

Kelsey Kidwell

Dalyn Varela

Rachel Zabriskie

Rachel Zabriskie

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