Cyclones Open Season At Home On Friday

02.05.2013 | Softball

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa – For the third-straight season, the Iowa State softball team will begin its season at home, hosting the Cyclone Invitational at the Bergstrom Football Complex, Feb. 8-10.

The Cyclones, who return first team All-Big 12 selection Erica Miller and Iowa State home run record holder Tori Torrescano, will welcome teams from Indiana State, IPFW, North Dakota, Northern Colorado and South Dakota State for the weekend tournament. The Cyclones will not play Northern Colorado.

The only visiting team to play at the Bergstrom, SDSU was run-ruled, 16-2, by the Cyclones in 2011. Last season, the Jackrabbits finished the year 13-27-1 and went 5-16 in Summit League play. Devon Reick returns to the field for her senior season at SDSU after hitting .311 last season with 38 hits.

Also from the Summit League, IPFW won a record 45 games in 2012, finishing 45-14 and 17-7 in conference. All-conference players Ashleigh Bousquet, Larissa Franklin, Miranda Kramer, Brittany Kuchar and Alex Bousquet return this season. Franklin was the team's top threat at the plate with an average of .364. Iowa State and IPFW have never met on the softball field.

Another Cyclone opponent from the 2011 season is North Dakota, whom the Cyclones defeated, 7-6, in Tulsa, Okla. Torrescano drove in two runs and Erica Miller had two hits in the Iowa State victory. North Dakota played in the Great West Conference until this season, when it moves to the Big Sky Conference, in its first year as a softball league. Senior Kenna Olsen hopes to pick up where she left off last season when she hit .403 with 52 hits and 27 RBI.

Indiana State comes to Ames for the first time since 1988 this weekend. The Sycamores are 1-3 all-time against the Cyclones, last falling, 4-3, to Iowa State in 2004. The team returns six starters this season while counting 12 underclassmen among its 18 team members. The Sycamores are known for speed, swiping 53 bases a year ago, led by Megan Stone with 15 steals.

The weekend's contests kick off at 9 a.m. CST on Friday with IPFW and Indiana State. Iowa State's first game of the weekend is slated for 6 p.m. on Friday against North Dakota.

Cyclone Notebook

• Iowa State opens the 2013 season at home on Friday, hosting the Cyclone Invitational at the Bergstrom Football Complex. Visiting teams include Indiana State, IPFW, North Dakota, Northern Colorado (non-Iowa State opponent) and South Dakota State.

• This is the third-straight season Iowa State has opened its season with a home tournament.

• The Cyclones finished the 2012 season with a 14-39 overall record, going 2-22 in the Big 12 with wins over No. 14 Texas A&M and Kansas.

• Erica Miller led the Cyclones with a .364 batting average and was named to the First Team All-Big 12, National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Second Team All-Midwest Region and College Sports Madness First Team All-Big 12.

• Fellow junior Tori Torrescano was named to College Sports Madness' Second Team All-Big 12.

• Seven players earned academic honors from the Big 12 in 2012, including six first team selections. Sara Davison, Jennifer Drahozal, Erin Johnson, Lauren Kennewell, Miller and Torrescano represented the Cyclones on the top team and Sara Rice was selected to the second team.

• Iowa State's win over Kansas was the greatest comeback in program history as the team rallied from deficits of 0-6 and 3-8 to earn the 10-9 victory.

• The club's win over No. 14 Texas A&M was the first win over a top-15 team since 2009.

• Torrescano broke several Iowa State records in 2012. The San Diego, Calif. native set single-season records for home runs (14) and RBI (44). Her home run total for the season brought her to a career total of 28 long balls, also tops at Iowa State. Torrescano walked 24 times, just two base-on-balls shy of the single-season record.

• Miller smashed nine home runs during her junior campaign, tallying 27 dingers in her three year career, tied for second all-time at Iowa State.

• As a team, the Cyclones hit 36 homers, tied for second all-time in program history with the 2011 squad.

• Lexi Slater's grand slam against Brown helped her to tie the Iowa State single-game RBI record as the short stop drove in six runs in Iowa State's 17-3 win over Brown.

• Sophomore transfer Taylor Smith recorded the Cyclones' only shutout of the season, winning 1-0 against Drake at home on March 28.

• In the circle, Torrescano picked up the 2-1 complete game victory over the No. 14 Aggies.

• Improving again on defense, the Cyclones fielding percentage of .962 is the second highest in Iowa State history.

2012 Big 12 Notes and Rankings

• Iowa State was second in the Big 12 this season with 467 assists. Lexi Slater (116, 4th), Dalyn Varela (115, 5th), and Sara Davison (99, 9th) all ranked in the top-10 for individual assists.

• Erica Miller ranked in the top-10 in the conference in three categories: batting average (.364, 7th), hits (56, 9th) and doubles (11, T7th).

• Fellow junior Tori Torrescano also boasted three top-10 areas: slugging (.636, 9th), RBI (44, T7th) and home runs (14, T7th).

• Davison tied for third in the Big 12 with nine sacrifice bunts.

• Varela was hit by a pitch eight times this season, tied for third-most in the league.

• Miller's 385 putouts were third-most in the conference and she helped turn nine double plays, ranked seventh.

• The Cyclones' 35 total bases against Brown were tops in the league and their six home runs in the same game tied for the most this season by a Big 12 program.

• During their series, Iowa State and Texas Tech topped the league with the most runs scored (26), hits (27), RBI (23), total bases (42) and assists (32) in a game this season. The first four marks were set during the March 30 game, the other on April 1.

• Miller was one of three players with a league-best four runs scored in a game. Miller had crossed home four times against Brown.

• In league play, the Cyclones were second in assists with 221. Slater led the league with 61 assists and Varela (51, T6th) and Davison (46, T10th) also ranked in the top-10 individually.

• Against Big 12 opponents, Miller was ninth in batting average (.343), ninth in slugging (.614), tied for ninth in hits (24), tied ninth in home runs (5) and tied for seventh in total bases (43).

• Miller had 187 putouts against Big 12 teams, ranked third and seven double plays, ranked fifth.

Transfers Join Cyclones From Far And Wide

• The Cyclones added four transfers to their 2013 squad. The quartet includes players who hail from California, New York, Iowa and Alberta, Canada. There are currently six transfer student-athletes on Iowa State's roster:

Amber Ewert, So., Lee's Summitt, Mo,

Southeast Missouri

*Sarah Hawryluk, Jr., Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada, Western Nebraska CC

*Liana Henry, Jr., Livermore, Calif.,

West Valley JC

*Hally Lenzine, Jr., Chariton, Iowa,

Marshalltown CC

*Maddie Reese, So., Pittsford, N.Y., Arkansas

Taylor Smith, Jr., Leon, Iowa, Kirkwood CC

* denotes 2013 newcomer

College Sports Madness Recognizes Miller, Torrescano

• Collegesportsmadness.com selected first baseman Erica Miller to its preseason fourth team all-America. The website also named Miller to its Big 12 preseason first team while Tori Torrescano was chosen to the conference's second team.

Dynamic Duo Enters Its Senior Season

• Erica Miller and Tori Torrescano will begin their final season at Iowa State this weekend. The two are ranked first and second at Iowa State in home runs and tend to feed off each other's success. Last year the duo hit home runs and doubles in the same game or in successive games on numerous occasions.

Home runs:

Feb. 11 vs. Valparaiso - Torrescano

Feb. 12 vs. Green Bay - Miller

Feb. 12 vs. Western Illinois - Torrescano

March 4 vs. Brown - Each hit two

March 18 at St. Mary's - Torrescano

March 23 vs. Texas - Miller

March 31 at Texas Tech - Miller

April 4 at Creighton (two game gap) - Torrescano (2)

April 6 vs. Texas A&M (two game gap) - Miller

April 14 at Oklahoma State - Each hit one

April 20 at Kansas - Miller

April 21 at Kansas - Torrescano

Doubles:

Feb. 12 vs. Green Bay - Each hit one

Feb. 23 vs. Oregon State - Torrescano

Feb. 24 vs. Colorado State - Miller

March 2 vs. Valparaiso - Torrescano (2)

March 3 vs. UTSA - Miller (2)

March 18 at St. Mary's - Each hit one

March 24 vs. Texas - Each hit one

March 28 vs. Drake - Each hit one

Injury Ends Kidwell's Career

• Centerfielder Heidi Kidwell will not return to the Cyclone softball team in 2013 due to an injury during a 2012 preseason practice.

Cyclones Open Season With Cyclone Invitational

• For the third-straight season, Iowa State will host a home tournament to open the season. In 2013, five visiting teams will join the Cyclones at the Bergstrom Football Complex, Feb. 8-10, for the 15-game event.

Schedule:

Friday Feb. 8 Sunday Feb. 10

IPFW vs. Indiana State - 9 a.m. SDSU vs. Northern Colorado - 9 a.m.

Indiana State vs. Northern Colorado - 11:15 a.m. North Dakota vs. SDSU - 11 a.m.

Northern Colorado vs. IPFW - 1:30 p.m. Iowa State vs. North Dakota - 1 p.m.

North Dakota vs. SDSU - 3:45 p.m. Iowa State vs. Indiana State - 3 p.m.

Iowa State vs. North Dakota - 6 p.m.

Saturday Feb. 9

SDSU vs. Northern Colorado - 9 a.m.

Northern Colorado vs. Indiana State - 11 a.m.

Iowa State vs. SDSU - 1 p.m.

Iowa State vs. IPFW - 3:30 p.m.

Indiana State vs. North Dakota - 5:30 p.m.

IPFW vs. North Dakota - 7:30 p.m.

Scouting Indiana State

• Iowa State is 3-1 all-time against the Sycamores, last winning, 4-3, in 2004.

• The Sycamores finished 19-34 overall and 6-20 in the Missouri Valley Conference last season.

• The team returns six starters even as it counts 12 underclassmen among its 18 team members.

• Indiana State stole 53 bases last season, led by Megan Stone's 15 swipes.

• Stone and Shelby Wilson hit .333 and .329, respectively, to pace the Sycamores in 2012. The duo combined for 98 hits and 37 RBI.

Scouting IPFW

• IPFW and Iowa State have never met before on the softball field.

• The Mastodons won a record 45 games in 2012, finishing the year 45-14 overall and 17-7 in Summit League play.

• All-conference selections Ashleigh Bousquet, Larissa Franklin, Miranda Kramer, Brittany Kuchar and Alex Bousquet return for IPFW this season.

• The Bousquets, Kuchar and Franklin all hit above .300 last season, led by Franklin's .364 average.

• The Mastodons were patient at the plate in 2012, taking 204 walks and counting three players with more than 30 bases-on-balls each (Alex Bousquet, Ashleigh Bousquet and Kayti Hanson).

Scouting North Dakota

• The Cyclones last met North Dakota in 2011, winning a 7-6 contest in Tulsa, Okla.

• Erica Miller had two hits and Tori Torrescano drove in two runs against UND.

• North Dakota finished 2012 18-29 overall and 2-4 in the Great West Conference. UND moves to the Big Sky conference this season for the league's inaugural softball season.

• Standout Kenna Olsen is back on the field for UND. Olsen hit .403 last season with 52 hits and 27 RBI.

• Caralyn Chewning (.366), Cami Bennett (.323) and Brittany Baker (.303) also hit over .300 for UND last season.

Scouting Northern Colorado

• The Bears were 25-28 overall and 10-10 in the PCSC. Northern Colorado is also a member of the new Big Sky softball league.

• Head coach Shana Easley is in her first year at Northern Colorado after serving as an assistant coach at UMKC.

• The Bears return all but three of their starters from a year ago.

• Included in the returning player count are All-PCSC players Lindsey Smith and Melissa Marcovecchio.

• Smith hit .382 with 51 RBI, 13 home runs and 16 doubles last season while Marcovecchio turned in a batting average of .374, 67s hits and 12 triples.

Scouting South Dakota State

• South Dakota State last played Iowa State at the 2011 Cyclone Invitational. The Cyclones won the meeting, 16-2, in five innings.

• In the game, Tori Torrescano had four hits and two RBI. Erica Miller, Sara Rice and Jennifer Drahozal also drove in runs against the Jackrabbits.

• Last year, SDSU finished 13-27-1 for the season and 5-16 in the Summit League.

• Senior Devon Reick led SDSU with .311 hitting on 38 hits a year ago.

• The Jackrabbits return four of their top five hitters from last season's squad.