Completed Event: Softball versus Iowa on April 21, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 7
Final
Softball
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Iowa
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Iowa State University Athletics
Chattanooga Challenge Next Test For Cyclones
02.21.2008 | Softball
AMES, Iowa - After a 3-0 weekend in Louisiana, Iowa State heads back to the Southeast in search of more wins as the Cyclones take part in the Chattanooga Challenge this weekend. The Cyclones are 6-1 on the season and with a perfect weekend will record the best start in school history through 12 games.
Schedule
Friday, Feb. 22
Iowa State vs. Eastern Kentucky, 8:45 a.m.
Iowa State at Chattanooga, 5:45 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 23
Iowa State vs. Lipscomb, 11 a.m.
Iowa State vs. Akron, 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 24
Iowa State vs. Bowling Green, 8:45 a.m.
Cyclone Notebook
- Iowa State (6-1) takes to the road for the third straight weekend, traveling to Chattanooga, Tenn., to play in the Chattanooga Challenge. ISU will face Eastern Kentucky, Chattanooga, Lipscomb, Akron and Bowling Green.
- The Cyclones went 3-0 last weekend in a rain-shortened Mardi Gras Classic in Monroe, La. ISU picked up wins over Central Arkansas (10-2), Southeast Missouri State (8-1) and Louisiana-Monroe (1-0).
- The Cyclones will play five games this weekend bringing their total games to 12. The best 12 game start in school history was 10-2 in 1975.
- Iowa State is out scoring its opponents 12-4 in the first inning and is 4-1 this season when scoring first.
- The Cyclones have six players hitting .350 or better on the season.
- Kelsey Kidwell earned all-tournament honors for the second time in as many tournaments after hitting .300 last weekend and driving in three runs.
- Kidwell (Solon, Iowa) has already doubled her hit production (10) from her freshman campaign.
- Freshman Rachel Zabriskie has thrown two no-hitters in three career starts. In the last 20 years, only one Cyclone (Courtney Dully) has thrown two no-hitters in her career. Since 1988, ISU pitchers have tossed eight no-hitters.
- Alex Johnson is riding a career-best seven game hitting streak that dates back to the last four games in 2007. Kidwell has hit safely in each game after being held hitless in the season opener.
- Iowa State has 15 extra base hits on the season and at least one in each game.
- ISU ranks second in the Big 12 in fielding percentage (.980), slightly behind Texas A&M (.983). A year ago the Cyclones finished last in the league with a .950 fielding percentage.
- ISU ranks fourth in the league in team batting (.297) and third in team pitching (1.09).
- Ariel Coburn and Courtney Wray rank 10th in the Big 12 with a .368 hitting percentage. Kidwell is just behind them in 11th hitting .364.
- Amie Ford has been successful in her return from elbow surgery which forced her to miss the entire fall season. The senior has allowed just one hit in 5.2 innings of work.
- Iowa State is the youngest team in the Big 12 with 12-of-its-16 players being freshmen or sophomores. Missouri is the second youngest with 14-of-20 players with under two years of collegiate experience.
- The Cyclones will be on the road for the first 34 games of the 60-game schedule.
- The Cyclones were picked last in the Big 12 preseason poll. Texas A&M was selected first and Oklahoma second.
Stat of the Week
Iowa State is hitting .313 with runners in scoring position after struggling in that area a year ago with a .227 average.
Scouting Eastern Kentucky (2-2)
- Eastern Kentucky enters the weekend with a 2-2 mark after taking two games from Appalachian State at The K-Club Classic in Kennesaw, Ga., last week.
- The Colonels are led by first baseman Adriel Foxley, who picked up OVC Player-of-the-Week honors after hitting .643 (9-for-13) and driving in 11 runs on opening weekend. In EKU's 17-9 win over Appalachian State, Foxley went 5-for-5 and drove in eight runs. Catcher Jena Handley hit .636 last week as EKU hit .424 as a team.
- In the circle, Jenn Bledsoe (1-0, 4.54 ERA) and Kalyn Fox (1-1, 8.40 ERA) picked up wins for the Colonels last week. EKU's pitching staff struggled last week, posting a 8.73 ERA and walking 17 batters in four games.
- The Cyclones hold a 3-0 lead in the all-time series with the last win being a 6-5 victory in 2005 at the Florida State Invitational.
- Jane Worthington is in her 15th year with Eastern Kentucky. Her career record is 402-358.
Scouting Chattanooga (5-6)
- Chattanooga is 5-6 on the season after dropping two games Wednesday at Jacksonville State.
- The Mocs are led offensively by first baseman Michelle Fuzzard, who is hitting .400 (12-for-30) on the season while driving in a team-high 12 runs. Tara Tembey and Toni Hutchinson have each scored 11 runs.
- Chattanooga's pitching staff has struggled early, posting a team ERA of 5.15. Brooke Loudermilk is 1-3 with a 3.63 ERA. Kandice Irwin has also seen extended time in the circle, going 2-2 with a 4.76 ERA. Opponents are hitting .307 against the staff.
- The Cyclones and Mocs will be meeting for the first time.
- Chattanooga head coach Frank Reed is in his seventh season at UTC. The Mocs won the Southern Conference regular season title a year ago.
Scouting Lipscomb (2-4)
- Lipscomb enters the weekend 2-4 after going 1-1 last weekend at the Birmingham Southern Tournament. The Bisons have notched an impressive 11-9 win over then-No. 18 Georgia Tech.
- The Bisons are led by Abby Keese, who hits at a .529 clip and had team-highs of three homers and seven RBI. As a team the Bisons hit .244.
- The Lipscomb pitching staff has a 3.82 ERA and is led by Kim Jacobson, who is 1-2 and has a 2.75 ERA. Opponents hit .259 against the staff.
- The Cyclones and Bisons are meeting for the first time this weekend.
- Kristin Peck is in her third season as head coach of Lipscomb.
Scouting Akron (1-3)
- Akron went 1-3 last weekend as it opened the season at the Alabama State-Capital City Tournament. The Zips beat Alabama State but lost to Belmont, Southeastern Louisiana and Samford.
- Despite scoring just eight runs in the first four games, the Zips leadoff hitter and centerfielder Lisa McLean has been outstanding, hitting .571 and stealing four bases. Left fielder Amber Lowe and first baseman Katrina Moffett have also been solid at the plate as well, hitting at a .364 and .300 clip, respectively.
- Three players have split time in the circle with senior Christina Swierz logging the most innings. Swierz is 1-1 with a 7.36 ERA in 11 innings of work. Freshman Brittany Clarke has been the most effective, allowing no runs and just five hits in 7.2 innings.
- The Cyclones lead the all-time series 2-1, with the last meeting coming in 1997 and resulting in a 2-1 Iowa State win.
- Julie Jones is in her second season as head coach at Akron. The Zips went 17-25 in her first season.
Scouting Bowling Green (0-0)
- Bowling Green will be opening the 2008 season this weekend.
- The Falcons were picked to finish second in the Mid-American Conference East Division. 2007 East Division champion Kent State was picked first.
- BGSU went 33-12 in 2007 and returns four players that received All-MAC honors. Infielder Allison Vallas (.369, 9 HR) and pitcher Hayley Wiemer (.413 hitter, 17-5 record, 1.45 ERA) earned first-team honors while fellow pitcher Emily Gouge (14-7, 1.59 ERA) garnered second-team honors along with Dawnjene DeLong (.267, 6 HR).
- The Falcons are coached by Shannon Salsburg, who is in her second season as head coach at Bowling Green. Salsburg took over the program after serving as an assistant at Kent State for two years.
Players Mentioned
IF
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RHP
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C/IF
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OF
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IF
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