CEDAR FALLS – Iowa State (4-0) continued its winning ways on Saturday at the Doc Halverson UNI Dome Tournament in Cedar Falls. The Cyclones tallied an 8-0 run-rule victory over Butler before pulling out a 4-2 win against Omaha to close the day.
Junior Mikayla Ramos had an outstanding day at the plate, going 4-of-7 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI. Pitcher Shannon Mortimer tallied her first win of the year while piling up six strikeouts in relief vs. Omaha.
Iowa State 8, Butler 0 (6 innings)
The Cyclones rolled up their second run-rule victory in as many games with an 8-0 win over Butler to open the day. Iowa State’s defense and pitching were excellent, recording the program’s first shutout win since Feb. 21, 2020 (10-0 vs. Elon).
Relief pitcher Karlie Charles was particularly sharp, giving up just one hit in 4.1 innings of action with three strikeouts. Charles gave her defense a steady diet of easily-handled pop-ups to keep the Bulldog offense in check.
The lone threat presented by Butler came in the bottom of the first inning. Lauren Fey led off with an infield base hit, followed by a pair of walks to load the bases. However, starting pitcher Janessa Jasso would work her way out of trouble with a fly ball to left field that ended the inning. Charles would enter to pitch with two away in the top of the second to leave two more Bulldog runners stranded.
Iowa State’s offense broke up the 0-0 tie in the top of the third. Skyler Ramos earned a one-out walk and stole second to give the Cyclones a lift. Sami Williams then picked up an RBI on an infield single, beating the throw at first while the speedy Ramos raced home to score. Mikayla Ramos then drove a RBI double down the left field line to score Williams. Alesia Ranches kept the inning going with an RBI single up the middle to put the Cyclones in front 3-0.
Charles, backed by a solid ISU defensive performance, retired the first eight Bulldog batters she faced, and the lead remained 3-0 until Iowa State broke the game wide open in the sixth inning.
Ranches and Camille Marin, in the first at bat of her collegiate career, opened the frame with back-to-back base hits to put runners on the corners. The Cyclones then took advantage of a number of Butler miscues, scoring runs on a throwing error, followed by a passed ball and a pair of wild pitches, extending the lead to 7-0.
Williams capped the run-rule victory with another RBI base hit, plating Carli Spelhaug to give the Cyclones an eight-run lead. Williams went 2-of-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run, while Mikayla Ramos and Ranches both collected two hits, one RBI and a run.
Iowa State 4, Omaha 2
The Mavericks were able to strike first in game two. Allison Helton roped a one-out triple to center field, and later scored on a Cyclone fielding error to put the Cyclones in a 1-0 hole. It was the first time Iowa State had trailed in the young 2021 season. However, the Omaha lead would not last long.
Williams stepped to the plate with one out, and the Big 12’s all-time doubles leader notched her first of the season on a shot up the middle. Junior Mikayla Ramos then launched her first home run of the season to right field to give the Cyclones a 2-1 advantage.
Omaha knotted the game at 2-2 in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly. Sophomore pitcher Shannon Mortimer entered the circle with one out in the frame, making her first appearance since May 10, 2019 vs. Oklahoma State. Mortimer missed the shortened 2020 campaign due to injury.
It was just the start of an excellent outing for the native of South Grafton, Mass. Mortimer allowed just one hit and no runs during her 4.2 innings of work and racked up six strikeouts in the process, tying her career high.
The Cyclone offense broke through in the home half of the fifth inning. Skyler Ramos picked up a lead-off double to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Sophomore Carli Spelhaug then stepped to the plate and hit her first home run of the year, a two-run shot to left center that ended up being the game-winner.
With the win, Iowa State improved to 4-0 to start the year for the first time since 2016.
On Deck
Iowa State closes out the Doc Halverson UNI Dome Tournament on Sunday vs. Drake. First pitch is set for 11:15 a.m. CT. There will not be a broadcast of the game.
