Iowa State Goes 2-0 in Saturday Doubleheader

CLEARWATER, Florida – Iowa State bounced back Saturday with a 2-0 day at the Michele Smith Spring Break Tournament hosted by USF. The Cyclones picked up a 5-1 victory and followed that up with a 2-0 shutout of Massachusetts. ISU is now 15-9 on the season.

Game One: Iowa State 5 St. Joseph's 1
Iowa State, the home team for the first game, got right to work in the first inning. The Cyclones got a pair of hits to set the stage for Lexi Slater, who knocked a base hit to right and took advantage of a fielding error to bring in Aly Cappaert and Maddie Reese to get Iowa State ahead 2-0.

The next big step in Iowa State's day was starter Brianna Weilbacher working out of a big jam in the top of the second. The Hawks were able to lead the bases via a pair of Weilbacher walks and a hit by pitch, with only one out. The freshman hurler buckled down, getting Hannah Dionne to strike out and Madeline Brunck to pop up to keep SJU off the board.

ISU was able to add another in the third, as it was Slater again responsible for the runs as she knocked a single to bring home Cathlin Bingham and get ISU ahead 3-0. The Cyclones would add another two in the bottom of the fifth Reese bombed her seventh home run of the season to get Iowa State ahead 5-0.

SJU was able to bring a run across in the seventh inning, but could do no other damage as Weilbacher wrapped up the complete game, allowing six hits and three walks while striking out three.

Game Two: Iowa State 2 Massachusetts 0
Brittany Gomez used her speed to get the visiting Iowa State squad ahead in the top of the first. After getting an infield single, the junior recorded her first of two stolen bases on the game and then took advantage of a pair of Caroline Raymond wild pitches to score and get Iowa State ahead 1-0. While ISU left the first with a 1-0 lead, it was also the start of a frustrating trend for the Cyclones in this game as ISU left two on base, the first of its 12 they left on for the game.

In the circle, Stacy Roggentien ensured that the one ISU run would be enough. The senior hurler had one of her best efforts as a Cyclone, not allowing a hit until the third inning and not allowing the Minutewomen to get multiple runners on base until the fifth frame. For the game, Roggentien allowed three hits and two walks in her seven innings while striking out four.

ISU added its second run in the second inning as ISU was able to load the bases via hits by Jorden Spendlove and Sammie Hildreth, while Gomez drew a walk. Gabby Voulgaris stepped in to pinch hit for Cathlin Bingham and Voulgaris drew a hit by pitch to bring in Spendlove and get ISU ahead 2-0.

The bottom of the fifth saw UMass put together its most serious threat to score as Taylor Carbone got a single to lead off the inning, which was followed by a walk for Caitlyn Hickey and a single for pinch hitter Bridget Lemire to load the Minutewomen bases with no outs. However, Roggentien was able to induce a grounder by Quiana Diaz-Patterson to first, Spendlove fired home to Hildreth for the second out, and the Cyclone backstop fired back to Spendlove at first to get the double play and get ISU out of the jam. Roggentien would not allow another base runner in the final two innings.

On Deck
Iowa State closes out the Michele Smith Spring Break Tournament tomorrow morning against Rutgers back at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. First pitch between the Cyclones and Scarlet Knights will be at 9 a.m. Eastern, 8 a.m. Central time.

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Players Mentioned

Cathlin Bingham

Aly Cappaert

Aly Cappaert

Brittany Gomez

Brittany Gomez

Sammie Hildreth

Maddie Reese

Maddie Reese

Stacy Roggentien

Stacy Roggentien

Lexi Slater

Lexi Slater

Jorden Spendlove

Jorden Spendlove

Gabby Voulgaris

Brianna Weilbacher

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