Iowa State vs. Texas Tech Primer

Who: Iowa State (11-16, 2-4 Big 12) vs. Texas Tech (21-8, 2-4 Big 12)

Where: Cyclone Sports Complex – Ames, Iowa

When: March 22 & 23 – 1, 4 & 1 p.m.

Leading Off
After a midweek matchup in Kansas City, Iowa State returns to the confines of the Cyclone Sports Complex to welcome the Texas Tech Red Raiders for a Big 12 weekend series.

The series, originally scheduled to run Friday-Sunday, was altered on Thursday in lieu of projected low temperatures on Sunday. ISU and TTU will now meet twice on Friday as part of a doubleheader before playing a third time on Saturday at one. All three weekends of ISU's Big 12 action have now been impacted by weather.

The Cyclones return to Ames after dropping their second straight midweek contest on Wednesday, falling to the Kansas City Roos, 3-7. Ashley Minor had a big game for the Clones, driving in three runs on three hits as well as launching her fourth homer of the year but it wasn't enough.

The Red Raiders enter the weekend having lost three straight, as TTU welcomed three-time defending national champion and top-ranked Oklahoma to Lubbock last weekend where Texas Tech was swept.

Texas Tech and ISU share two common opponents on the season – Northern Colorado and the Sooners. ISU defeated UNC twice in a doubleheader, outscoring the Bears 22-7 on the road, while the Red Raiders won 10-9 in San Marcos, Texas. Both teams were swept by Oklahoma.

Quick Hits:

Iowa State has recorded double-digit runs in a game four times so far this season. It had only two such games in 2023.
The Cyclones have been a bit feast or famine early in the season, as the team averages 8.5 runs scored a game in wins but just 2.4 runs in losses.
Junior outfielder Angelina Allen has been phenomenal to start the season. She's fifth in the country in hits (44) which is tops in the Big 12. Her 10 doubles are also tops in the conference and rank her 26th nationally.
- Allen has 81 total bases on the season, the sixth most in the country and the most in the Big 12. Allen has the third-highest batting average in the conference (.473) and ranks eleventh nationally.
- Allen was awarded the Big 12 Player of the Week award on March 5, making her the first Cyclone to earn the award since Sami Williams in 2021.
Milaysia Ochoa broke the program record for most HBP at Oklahoma in the Big 12 opening weekend, being struck by her 29th pitch.
- Ochoa has also drawn the sixth-most walks in the conference with 18, as she has a top 25 OBP.
Alesia Ranches is tied for the fourth-most doubles in the league with eight.
Senior Saya Swain recorded her seventh career save in Vegas earlier this season. She needs two more to break the all-time program record.

Leading the Cyclones
The aforementioned Allen leads the Cyclones in most every offensive category outside of runs, triples and walks drawn. Ochoa, a fellow team captain, compliments Allen nicely at the top of the order. From the leadoff spot, Milaysia is hitting .345 with 18 walks drawn and four HBP – giving her an OBP of .477. Both Allen and Ochoa lead the team in on-base percentage from the first two spots in the batting order.

Minor, Alesia Ranches, Tiana Poole and Carli Spelhaug join Ochoa and Allen as Cyclones who have double digit RBI on the year. Olivia Wardlow has come on in her junior year, hitting .296 out of the nine-hole and turning the lineup over for the Cyclones.

All six pitchers on staff have taken the circle this season, with freshman Lauren Schurman leading the way with a team-high 41.2 innings pitched. Senior Karlie Charles has thrown 34.2 innings while Aziza Rodriguez have hurled 31. Jaiden Ralston leads the team in strikeouts with 26, while Schurman is right behind with 25 and senior Saya Swain has 24.

Opponent Outlook
Texas Tech is led at the plate by sophomore phenom Kailey Wyckoff. Wyckoff, the reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year, is hitting at a team-high .405 clip with a team-best 34 hits. Riley Love leads the Red Raiders in RBI with 36, pounding nine doubles, two triples and ten homers – all team highs.

The Red Raiders boast some prolific bats all around, as the team is currently second in the conference in total doubles with 53, just behind OU.

Maddie Kuehl leads the Red Raider pen with 62 innings pitched, while Maddy Wright (51) and Olivia Rains (44) are not far behind. Kuehl leads the team in punchouts, totaling 56 while Rains is a perfect 6-0 on the season.

As a team, TTU is fielding at a .973 percentage, committing fewer than one error per game.

Series History
The Cyclones and Red Raiders have met previously 68 times, with TTU holding the all-time series advantage. The two squads met last year in a weekend series that Texas Tech took 2-1. Under Coach Pinkerton, Iowa State has averaged 4.3 runs scored per game against the Red Raiders.

On Deck
The Cyclones will be back in action this coming Thursday, as the team is set to head to Waco, Texas for a matchup with the Baylor Bears. This upcoming series will be played from Thursday to Saturday instead of Friday to Sunday to account for the Easter holiday. Thursday's first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Angelina Allen

Karlie Charles

Ashley Minor

Milaysia Ochoa

Tiana Poole

Jaiden Ralston

Alesia Ranches

Aziza Rodriguez

Lauren Schurman

Carli Spelhaug

Saya Swain

Olivia Wardlow

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