UTSA Classic Is First Road Test For Cyclones

02.13.2013 | Softball

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa – After a strong start to 2013 at home last weekend the Cyclones (4-1, 0-0 Big 12) will hit the road for the UTSA Classic, Feb. 15-16. During the two day tournament, Iowa State will face teams from UTSA, Rutgers, Missouri State and Boise State.

The Cyclones tallied 38 RBI last weekend due in large part to the team's .382 average with runners in scoring position. Erica Miller led the charge, going 4-for-7 (.571) and keeping true to form. The senior is a lifetime .371-hitter with runners in scoring position.

Of course, getting to second and third bases creates the opportunity for hitters to drive in runs and Iowa State helped its cause with 13 extra-base hits – opponents combined for three – and 15 stolen bases. Freshman Brittany Gomez swiped seven bases, the only Big 12 player with at least five steals on the weekend.

Gomez and the Cyclones may get more chances on the base paths in San Antonio; teams were a combined 20-for-21 in steals against UTSA, Boise State and Missouri State last weekend.

Iowa State saw both Missouri State and UTSA last season, splitting a pair of games with the Bears while UTSA earned a neutral field win over Iowa State.

Missouri State is missing pitcher Natalie Rose, who shutout the Cyclones last season. However, the team boasts reigning MVC Player of the Week Stevie Pierce, who hit .400 with three homeruns and eight RBI last weekend.

For UTSA, Jolene Graham is back in the circle. Graham threw eight innings last weekend, giving up no hits and posting a 0.88 ERA.

Boise State is a first-time opponent of Iowa State and has already played one of the toughest schedules of the early season, falling to No. 4 Arizona State and No. 5 Oregon in its last two games.

First up for the Cyclones on Friday is Rutgers, who has not yet started its season and has not played Iowa State since the 1995 season. The Scarlet Knights lost their top two hitters from a season ago but will send Alyssa Landrith back into the circle this year. Landrith finished with an 18-12 record in 2012, allowing opponents just a .212 average in 202.2 innings pitched. Rutgers will play Boise State before taking on Iowa State on Friday.

The Cyclones will play Rutgers at 11:30 a.m. CST on Friday before returning to the field at 7 p.m. to face host UTSA.

Cyclone Notebook

• After opening the 2013 season 4-1 at home last weekend, Iowa State hits the road for the UTSA Classic, Feb. 15-16 in San Antonio, Texas.

• The weekend's opponents include 2012 foe Missouri State and first-ever opponent Boise State.

• Freshman right-hander Riley Fisher became the second Cyclone to ever throw a no-hitter on Saturday, shutting out North Dakota. Fisher's no-no is the fourth in Iowa State history; Rachel Zabriskie (2008-11) had three in her freshman campaign.

• Against North Dakota (2), South Dakota State, IPFW and Indiana State, Cyclone pitchers held batters to a .182 average.

• Iowa State scored in the opening frame of each of its five contests last weekend.

• Junior Sara Davison lit up opposing pitchers, starting the year off strong. Davison hit .417 and slugged .917 in driving in a team-high nine runs. Her three doubles also leads the club.

• With runners on base, the Cyclones hit .378 led by Erica Miller (5-for-10), Jorden Spendlove (5-for11), Brittany Gomez (5-for-12) and Davison (4-for-10).

• The average rose to .382 with runners in scoring position, led by Miller's .571 (4-for-7) mark.

• The speedy Gomez also was 7-for-7 in stolen bases, the only Big 12 player to reach five steals last weekend. Iowa State was 15-for-15 in steals.

• 11 of Iowa State's runs were scored with two outs. Davison had four two-out runs, scored on a grand slam against Indiana State.

• Leadoff hitters touched pitchers for a .500 average last week. Sarah Hawryluk had nine hits in the spot.

• Five of the Cyclones' nine spots in the batting order hit better than .400 last weekend and Tori Torrescano held a .300 average in the cleanup spot.

• Miller (third) and Torrescano (fourth) were the only players not to share their spot in the lineup with another player.

• Five Cyclones tallied five hits or better last weekend. Hawryluk was tops on the team with nine.

• Hawryluk also was the only Big 12 player with two triples over the weekend.

Big 12 Notes and Rankings

• Sarah Hawryluk's .500 average in the first weekend of the season is tied for sixth in conference play.

• Junior Taylor Smith is one of four pitchers who appeared in at least two games last weekend and holds an ERA under 1.00. The Big 12 is led by Baylor's Courtney Repka who compiled a 0.00 ERA in three games.

• Hawryluk's debut weekend performance appears all over the Big 12 rankings this week. The Alberta, Canada native is second in hits (9), first in triples (2), second in runs scored (7) and fourth in total bases (14).

• Brittany Gomez joins Hawryluk and Lexi Slater with seven runs scored and leads the Big 12 with seven stolen bases, the only player with at least five thefts in the first weekend of the season.

• Picking up where she left of last season, Tori Torrescano had five walks to lead the Cyclones last weekend, ranking second in the Big 12. Torrescano walked a record 24 times in 2012.

• Torrescano and fellow senior Erica Miller are in the top-10 in on-base percentage with marks of .563 and .529, respectively.

• Sara Davison is one of three players with three doubles during opening weekend. Davison is second in the conference with nine RBI, 10th with 11 total bases and sixth with a slugging percentage of .917.

• Iowa State's .987 fielding last weekend is tops in the Big 12, ahead of Kansas' .985.

Scouting Rutgers

• Iowa State and the Scarlet Knights met twice on March 14, 1995, splitting their two contests.

• Rutgers will play its first game of the season on Friday morning against Boise State before facing the Cyclones.

• Last year, the Scarlet Knights finished 26-28 overall and 9-13 in the Big East.

• The squad lost its top two hitters from a season ago, including Brittney Lindley who led the team in average (.331), doubled (12), home runs (7), RBI (28), slugging (.588) and walks (26).

• Starting pitcher, Alyssa Landrith returns to the circle in 2013. Landrith was 18-12 a year ago, throwing 202.2 innings and holding opponents to .212 hitting.

Scouting UTSA

• The Cyclones and Roadrunners played last year at UTEP, with UTSA taking the 4-0 win over Iowa State.

• UTSA played three games last weekend, going 1-2 with a split against Lamar.

• Jolene Graham threw eight innings in two appearances during the weekend, posting a 0.88 ERA without allowing a hit.

• Vivian Tijerina, one of two players (Courtney Buchman) to drive in three runs in the win over Lamar, is hitting .625 through three games with two home runs and a slugging percentage of 1.375.

• Buchman leads the team with six RBI and Megan Low has three doubles.

Scouting Missouri State

• Iowa State traveled to Missouri State last year, losing 0-4 before coming back later in the day for a 6-4 victory.

• Amber Ewert drove in two Iowa State runs in the second game as the Cyclones racked up 11 hits.

• Not returning for the Bears this season is pitcher Natalie Rose, who threw the complete game shutout of the Cyclones last season.

• The Bears are 1-4 after opening weekend, led by reigning MVC Player of the Week, Stevie Pierce, who hit .400 with three home runs, eight RBI (six with two outs) and slugged 1.067 last weekend.

Scouting Boise State

• Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between Boise State and Iowa State.

• The Broncos are coming off a 2-3 weekend that included losses to No. 4 Arizona State and No. 5 Oregon.

• Against Arizona State and Oregon, who account for Boise State's last two games, the Broncos scored one combined run off the bat of Sarah Barnes against Oregon.

• Holly Bourke is pacing the Bronco offense on .429 hitting with six hits and a triple this season.

• Devon Bridges has a team-high five RBI, followed closely by Bourke's four.

• Hurler Lela Work threw 11 innings last weekend, with two starts in three appearances. Work allowed five home runs while opponents hit .292 off her.