TAMPA, Fla. – Cyclone Tori Torrescano posted her sixth career multi-home run game on Friday as the Cyclones (11-11, 0-0 Big 12) defeated Liberty (8-10, 0-0 Big South), 9-1, in six innings before falling to host South Florida (19-10, 0-0 Big East), 0-6.
With the Cyclones leading Liberty, 5-1, Torrescano, who drove in two runs with a single in the third, teed off on a pitch from Chandler Ball to leadoff the fifth inning, putting it far over the fence in dead center field.
Torrescano’s second bomb of the day secured the win for the Cyclones, driving in the final two runs of the game on a walk-off homer to left. The senior was three-for-four in the game, driving in five runs and scoring three as well.
Sammi Shivock put the Flames on the board in the top of the third with an RBI-single for the early 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the frame, Torrescano and Jorden Spendlove each drove in two runs on singles up the middle for a 4-1 Cyclone advantage, and Brittany Gomez added another run with a two-out RBI-triple to the left field wall in the fourth.
Torrescano led off the fifth with a home run to dead center field, extending the lead to 6-1.
Gomez singled and stole second in the sixth, bringing Erica Miller to the plate with two outs. Miller singled and Gomez scored on a throwing error by the Liberty catcher, sending Miller to second. Torrescano’s second long ball of the day ended the game.
Taylor Smith (5-3) picked up the win, with a complete game in the circle, giving up six hits, one run, two walks and striking out three.
Liberty’s Chandler Ball (3-4) absorbed the loss, allowing four runs on four hits, walking three and tallying no strikeouts.
The Bulls took a 2-0 lead in the second inning of the afternoon game, scoring on a double from Kourtney Salvarola and again when she came home on a fielder’s choice, as Torrescano’s throw to home plate was not in time for catcher Sara Davison to apply the tag.
Kenshyra Jackson blasted a home run to left with two outs in the bottom of the third and the Bulls tacked on three more runs in the fifth on an RBI-single, a stolen base and an Iowa State error. Torrescano’s (5-4) day in the circle ended after four and one-third innings of work in which she was charged with six runs, five earned, on eight hits. She walked three and struck out four.
Sara Nevins (8-4) held Iowa State to two hits, singles from Liana Henry and Gomez, without a run scored in seven innings, walking two and striking out nine.
On Saturday, the Cyclones play two, facing Valparaiso at 10 a.m. CST and Rutgers at 3 p.m.
