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
Cyclones Open Season at Bradley Invitational
02.06.2009 | Softball
AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State softball team opens its 2009 season at the Bradley Invitational Saturday afternoon. The Cyclones, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler, will face IUPUI in the first game of the season at 2 p.m.
Tournament Schedule
Saturday, Feb. 7
Iowa State vs. IUPUI, 2 p.m.
Iowa State vs. Western Illinois, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 8
Iowa State vs. Wright State, Noon
Iowa State at Bradley, 2 p.m.
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Cyclone Notebook
? Iowa State begins the 35th season in the program's history Saturday afternoon at the Bradley Invitational. The Cyclones will face IUPUI and Western Illinois on the tournament's first day before facing Wright State and Bradley Sunday.
? Iowa State head coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler is in her fourth year as head coach. She is 65-72 after leading ISU to an 18-4 start last season. Her season was cut short when she took maternity leave following the 22nd game.
? The Cyclones had 29 wins, which was the most since 1989. It marked the third time in as many years that ISU has increased its win total.
? ISU won its season opener last year against UW-Green Bay but is just 2-5 in openers since 2002.
? The Cyclones are 16-25 in season opening tournaments since 2000. Under Gemeinhardt-Cesler, ISU is 6-7 in opening weekend play.
? Iowa State returns all but two position starters from last year's team and has just one senior on this year's squad, which is the least in the Big 12.
? Four of the top-five hitters return from last season. Juniors Courtney Wray (.345), Kelsey Kidwell (.302), Amanda Bradberry (.292) and Alex Johnson (.270) return. Ariel Coburn, who hit .321 and had a team-high 10 homers, was the only player among the top-five hitters lost to graduation.
? ISU also returns its top-two pitchers from last season in junior Charissa Carlin and sophomore Rachel Zabriskie. Carlin finished 10-9 last year while Zabriskie went 15-14, setting the Cyclone rookie record for wins and strikeouts (146). Zabriskie was named to the Big 12 All-Tournament team after pitching ISU to a win over Baylor in the first round.
? Zabriskie tossed three no-hitters as a freshman, all of which came in the first four starts of her career.
? Zabriskie was the first ISU pitcher to win 15 games in 20 years. The last player to do so was Jane Peterson (16 wins) in 1988.
? Kidwell tied the ISU single-season record with 18 stolen bases last season.
? Kidwell is joined this season by younger sister Heidi, a freshman on the team.
? The Cyclones have eight newcomers on the team.
? In 2008, the Cyclones homered a school-record 38 times, surpassing the previous mark of 27 in 2002. After hitting zero homers in Big 12 play in 2007, ISU belted 12 homers last season in league play.
? ISU also set school records last season with 215 runs and 187 RBI. The 393 hits and 67 stolen bases were the second most in school history.
? Second-team All-Big 12 pick Sydni Jones also returns for ISU. Jones hit .319 in Big 12 play last season.
? Alex Johnson returns for her junior season. Johnson has 11 career homers and with two seasons left has the career record of 27 homers (Erica Martinez) in her sights.
Scouting IUPUI
? IUPUI went 11-27 overall and 6-15 in league play in 2008. The Jaguars have been picked last in The Summit League but they return three of their top four hitters from a year ago.
? Sophomore Amy Raker returns after leading the Jaguars with a .311 batting average and 15 RBI. Raker also saw time in the circle as a freshman, finishing with a 4-7 record and a 4.93 ERA.
? Junior Mia Ettl was the Jaguars second-leading hitter with a .307 average. Ettl had five doubles and a pair of triples in 2008.
? IUPUI is led by fourth-year head coach Maggie Calcaterra.
Scouting Western Illinois
? Another Summit League opponent awaits Iowa State in the second game Saturday in Western Illinois, the league's tournament champion from a year ago. The Westerwinds, who won the league tournament as the fourth seed, were picked to finish second in the league this season, receiving two first-place votes.
? WIU finished last year 15-33 overall, finishing with 1-2 mark in the NCAA Regionals. The Westerwinds defeated Drake in the tournament.
? Western Illinois' top offensive returnee is Colleen Biebel. The outfielder hit .308 in 2008, racking up 45 hits. She stole 21 bases for WIU, which had 93 steals on the year.
? Julie DePolo notched stolen bases on 24-of-25 attempts.
? The Westerwinds return their entire pitching staff from last year, led by junior Lori Pankratz. Pankratz finished the season 9-13 with a 3.29 ERA.
? Iowa State swept a doubleheader against Western Illinois last season in Ames.
? Western Illinois is coached by fourth-year head coach Holly Van Vlymen.
Scouting Wright State
? Picked third in the Horizon League, Wright State returns eight starters from last year's team, which finished 33-26.
? Six returnees earned all-league honors, led offensively by Jamie Perkins. Perkins, a junior outfielder hit .379 with nine homers, on her way to earning second-team all-league honors. ? In the circle, Sharon Palma went 18-11 with a 2.91 ERA. Palma struck out 117 batters. Ashleigh Jackson also returns after going 7-6 as a freshman.
? The Raiders are coached by Mike Larabee, who is in his fifth season as coach at Wright State.
Scouting Bradley
? Bradley went 12-27 overall and 4-19 in Missouri Valley play. The Braves are picked to finish ninth in the league this year, ahead of UNI.
? The Braves hit just .219 as a team in 2008, scoring just 106 runs in 39 games.
? Bradley returns four of its top five hitters from last season, including junior outfielder Janay Mitchell. Mitchell led the team with a .283 average, just edging infielder Alycia Bachkora (.282) for the team lead. Mitchell tied fellow returnee Amanda Clack for the team lead with five stolen bases.
? The Braves' pitching staff is led by senior Ashley Birdsong. Birdsong won nine games in 2008 and finished with a 3.18 ERA. She struck out 183 batters in 169.2 innings of work.
? Bradley is coached by Amy Hayes, who was hired on July 26, 2008. Hayes came to Bradley from Portland State.
Players Mentioned
IF
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RHP
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C/IF
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IF
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OF
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IF
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RHP
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