Iowa State Set For Cy-Hawk Battle In Iowa City

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CYCLONE NOTEBOOK
1. The Iowa State softball team (19-15, 1-5 Big 12) returns to the Cyclone Sports Complex this weekend for a three-game series against ACC foe Georgia Tech (22-16, 5-7 ACC). The Cyclones and Yellow Jackets start the series with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., followed by game three on Sunday at noon. The entire series will be broadcast live on Cyclones.tv.

2. This weekend will be the first three-game, non-conference series vs. a Power 5 opponent at home in Iowa State softball history. Iowa State is 0-1 all-time vs. Georgia Tech (March 20, 2004) and 13-22 all-time vs. ACC opponents.

3. Freshman Kasey Simpson made history on Tuesday vs. South Dakota, tying Erica Miller's single-game program record with seven RBI vs. the Coyotes. Simpson, who entered the game with four RBI and no home runs on the season, tallied a grand slam, a solo home run and a game-ending 2-RBI base hit to secure the 9-1 run-rule victory. Simpson's seven RBI vs. South Dakota were the second-most in a single game by any Big 12 player this season.

4. Junior Sami Williams has established herself among the nation's premier offensive weapons. She is one of just four players in the country with at least a .400 batting avg., 13 doubles and eight home runs on the season. Williams is one of just two players (Kindra Hackbarth - Arizona State) from a Power 5 conference with such numbers.

5. Williams, a native of Laguna Niguel, Calif., is tied for No. 10 nationally in doubles with 13 on the season. She has already tallied a program-record 47 doubles during her career, breaking the previous all-time mark of 41 on March 8 at Cal Poly. Williams is just seven doubles shy of her own single-season mark of 20, set in 2017.

6. The Cyclones notched their first conference win of the season on March 30, taking down No. 15 Texas Tech, 6-5. It was the program's first victory over a top-15 ranked opponent since March 8, 2013 (vs. No. 8 Oregon). It was also the second win over a nationally-ranked opponent in the Jamie Pinkerton era at Iowa State.

7. The Iowa State defense has been much improved in year two under the tutelage of Pinkerton and assistant coach Courtney Martinez. The Cyclones have turned a Big 12-leading 19 double plays this season after totaling 17 in 56 games a season ago.

8. Freshman Mikayla Ramos has emerged in Big 12 play as a steady contributor in Pinkerton's lineup. Ramos, primarily a designated offensive player, went 5-of-8 at the plate vs. Texas Tech with a double, two RBI and scored the game-winning run in game two of the series. Ramos currently touts the fourth-best batting average on the team at .281.

9. Williams was incredible vs. Texas Tech, hitting .556 with three home runs and three walks in three games against the Red Raiders. She went 3-for-3 at the plate with two homers and a double in the Cyclones' 6-5 win over TTU. She also tallied three RBI on the weekend to break into ISU's top-10 for career runs batted in (No. 10 - 79).

10. The Cyclones are in the midst of a nearly-unprecedented home stand right now, as 12 of 13 games during the stretch are slated to be played at the Cyclone Sports Complex. It is just the second time in program history (1999) that 12 of 13 games have been at home. Prior to this stretch, just seven of ISU's 86 contests during the Jamie Pinkerton era had been played at home.

11. Williams continues to climb the ISU career record charts during her junior campaign. The native of Laguna Niguel, Calif., is already No. 2 on Iowa State's all-time list in batting average (.382), No. 1 in doubles (47), No. 4 in home runs (28) and No. 10 in RBIs (80). Williams currently ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 in doubles per game at .38. She's also on pace for the third-best single-season batting average in program history (.402).

12. Senior hurler Emma Hylen also placed her name atop the ISU record books, picking up her ISU record-breaking eighth career save on March 16 vs. Harvard. Hylen's 2.38 ERA this season is on pace to be the best by a Cyclone since 2009 (Rachel Zabriskie - 2.37).

COMPLETE GAME NOTES
For complete game notes, click here (PDF).

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Players Mentioned

Emma Hylen

Mikayla Ramos

Kasey Simpson

Sami Williams

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Iowa State University Athletics