Cyclone Softball Splits with No. 19 Texas A&M

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Iowa State softball team split their doubleheader with No. 19 Texas A&M Saturday afternoon at the Aggie Softball Complex, losing game one, 8-5, and taking game two, 6-5. After the split, ISU's record is 18-23 overall and 5-9 in Big 12 action. The Aggies record is 33-15 overall and 9-5 in league play.

In game one, Katie Ruby hit a pair of home runs, her sixth and seventh of the season, and senior Erica Martinez made her 15th start of the season the pitching mound. She picked up the loss, falling to 10-8.

Martinez put the Cyclones on the board first with her fourth home run of the year for the first run of the game. Texas A&M answered back quickly and scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 4-1 lead. The Aggies would add another run in the second inning to give them a 5-1 lead. In the third inning, Ruby hit a two-run home run, scoring junior Julia Lindsey to make the score 5-3.

Texas A&M added two more runs in the third inning to take a 7-3 lead. Ruby hit her second home run of the game, a two-run blast to bring the Cyclones within two runs of the lead, with the Aggies leading, 7-5. But A&M wouldn't allow ISU any closer, adding a run for an 8-5 game-one victory.

In the second game, freshman Kristen Karanzias went to the mound for ISU, striking out two Aggie batters. Her record improves to 4-4 overall. Junior Misty Kimura hit her first home run of the season and Martinez added her seventh double of the year.

Texas A&M scored first in the second inning on a single and a double. ISU cut the lead to 2-1 when Martinez scored after leading off with a single, advancing to second on a fielders choice, moving to third on an Aggie error and finally crossing the plate on another fielder's choice. The Cyclones then took the lead in the fifth inning by putting up four runs on six hits that included a double by Martinez and a triple by junior Kelly Wardein. They added another run in the sixth inning when Kimura hit a home run to right center to give the Cyclones a 6-3 lead.

The Aggies added two more runs in the seventh inning, but the Cyclones held off the Aggie rally to post the 6-5 win. It was ISU's sixth win over a Top-25 team this season.

The Cyclones will return home to play Oklahoma State in a doubleheader on Monday, April 21, starting at Noon at the Southwest Athletic Complex.