AMES, Iowa ñ The Cyclone softball team (14-8) is headed out west to finish off what will be a 21-game road swing this weekend, playing the Louisville Slugger Classic, hosted by No. 10 Stanford. |AMES, Iowa ñ The Cyclone softball team (14-8) is headed out west to finish off what will be a 21-game road swing this weekend, playing the Louisville Slugger Classic, hosted by No. 10 Stanford. Iowa State will play teams from Nevada-Las Vegas, Cal Poly, Northwestern and the hosting Cardinals during the three-day tournament.
The Cardinals are the first ranked opponent of the season for the Cyclones who have also faced Notre Dame who has continued to receive votes throughout the early season. Northwestern is also receiving votes in the latest polls.
Last weekend at Wichita State, the Cyclones picked up their first three road victories en route to a three-game sweep of the Shockers and senior Rachel Zabriskie broke the Iowa State saves record with the seventh of her career. Zabriskie, who appeared in all three games, earning the save and two wins, posted a 0.53 ERA while allowing nine hits and one earned run.
It was a big weekend for freshman outfielder Kelsey Enslin as well. Enslin go the first three starts of her career in the series and went 4-for-8 with two RBI and four runs scored on the weekend.
Play at the Louisville Slugger Classic begins at 3:30 p.m. CST on Friday when the Cyclones play the UNLV Rebels at Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium and continues with a night cap against Stanford at 8:30 p.m. CST.
Cyclone Notebook
ï The Cyclones head west this weekend to No. 10 Stanford for the Louisville Slugger Classic. Teams participating in the tournament include the hosting Cardinals, Northwestern (RV), Cal Poly and UNLV. Stanford is the first ranked opponent for Iowa State this year.
ï Iowa State swept Wichita State last weekend for the squad’s first sweep since beating Creighton twice on March 23, 2010.
ï Pitcher Rachel Zabriskie broke the Cyclone record for saves, recording the seventh of her career in Saturday’s second game with the Shockers.
ï With 720 career strikeouts, Zabriskie is only 42 shy of the Big 12 top 10 records list.
ï Iowa State pitchers have shut down the competition in the final three innings of games this season, compiling a 0.53 ERA in innings 5-7 (23 earned runs in 43 innings. 11 unearned runs in those same innings).
ï Shortstop Sara Davison is riding a six-game hitting streak heading out to California this weekend.
ï Seven of Iowa State’s regulars are hitting over .300 this season, led by Heidi Kidwell. Kidwell is batting .388 and leads the team in triples (2) and walks (12). Davison also has 12 walks. Enslin is batting .500 in her three games in which she has had an at bat.
ï The later innings are proving to be the strongest for the Cyclones as the team holds a 12-0 record when leading after four innings.
ï The Cyclones like to score early and like to score first. The team is 8-1 when scoring in the first inning and 12-1 when scoring before their opponents.
ï Freshman Kelsey Enslin claimed the first two hits of her career in Saturday’s game two. On Sunday, Enslin recorded her first RBIs, driving in two in the 7-2 Cyclone victory.
ï Right fielder Anna Cole scored a career-high two runs against the Shockers in the second game on Saturday and stole her first career base on Sunday.
ï Davison scored a career-best three runs in Saturday’s opener.
ï Erica Miller blistered the Shockers for five hits, including a home run, and three walks over the weekend. Miller led all Cyclones with a .625 average.
ï Other ISU players who had big offensive weekends were Kidwell (.556, 4 walks), Dalyn Varela (.500) and Enslin (.500).
ï Kidwell was 3-for-3 in stolen bases against Wichita State with two thefts in the first game and one in the series finale.
ï Iowa State has batted .305 or better in 19 of its 22 games this season. The exceptions were Tulsa (.297), Drake (.297) and game one with Wichita State (.298).
ï Zabriskie posted a 0.53 ERA in her three appearances, two starts, against the Shockers.
ï Iowa State continues to look for pinch hitting contributions. The Cyclones are 0-for-11 in pinch hits this season.
ï With the bases empty, the Cyclones are hitting .315 but once a runner has taken a base, Iowa State has successfully advanced 203 of 374 base runners, a .543 average.
