Cyclones Pick Up Pair of Run-Rule Wins

YOUNGSVILLE, La. – After going winless on the opening day of the Mardi Gras Mambo, Iowa State (8-9) picked up a pair of run-rule wins on day two, moving to 2-2 in the tournament.

In game one, Iowa State downed Southern (5-9) in five innings by a score of 8-0. Three Cyclones notched multi-hit games, as the team recorded 12 hits. Lauren Schurman and Abby Huhn combined to throw a two-hit shutout – ISU's second of the season.

Though game two featured the same result, a run-rule victory, it was a much different story for ISU. The Cyclones used a powerful eight-run bottom of the sixth to pull away from Houston Christian (5-11) and earn a second-straight run-rule win. The Cyclones now have four run-rule wins in their last seven games.

Iowa State 8, Southern 0 (5 Inn.)
Iowa State put runs on the board in the first inning for the third-straight game of the Mardi Gras Mambo, this time using it power an eight-run victory. A pair of three run innings, first and fourth, helped ISU distance itself from Southern and earned its first win of the tournament.

Sereniti Trice led all players with three hits, while Jessie Clemons, Reagan Bartholomew and McKenna Andrews all chipped in a pair of hits. Paige Zender had a team-best two RBI – a career high – while Trice, Clemons and Bartholomew all scored a game-best two runs.

Lauren Schurman (3-5) got the start and the win for the Cyclones, allowing just two hits in four innings thrown with five punchouts. Abby Huhn hurled the last frame, allowing no hits and getting out of the fifth on 13 pitches.

How it Happened
After a three up, three down first for Southern, ISU plated three in the bottom of the frame to take an early lead. A Trice single led off the game with a single and would eventually come across to make it 1-0. Later, with Sydney Malott and Tatum Johnson on, Paige Zender singled down the rightfield line to make it 3-0.

The Cyclones added one more in the third, courtesy of Reagan Bartholomew. She belted her first homer as a Cyclone down the left field line to give ISU a 4-0 cushion.

The Cyclones would add four more runs over the last two frames to earn an 8-0, run-rule win.

Saturday G1 Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Reagan Bartholomew (1)
Southern: N/A

WP – Lauren Schurman (3-5): 4.0 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Aaliyah Zabala (1-2): 1.0 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 0 walks, 0 strikeouts

Iowa State 10, Houston Christian 2 (6 Inn.)
After scoring an efficient eight runs in five innings, the Cyclone bats struggled early against Houston Christian. ISU found itself tied 2-2 through five innings, but then exploded for an eight-run inning – its largest single-inning output of the season – in the bottom of the sixth to earn a second straight run-rule win.

Tatum Johnson was the lone Cyclone with multiple hits in the game, as seven others collected solo knocks. Freshman Jessie Clemons had a game-high three RBI while Sydney Malott drew a game-high two walks.

Aziza Rodriguez got the start, while both Abby Huhn and Lauren Schurman (4-5) saw time in relief. Huhn had the team's only strikeout of the game, as she pitched a team-high 2.2 innings.

How it Happened
Houston Christian struck first, putting one on the board in the first. Some small ball plays put runners on the corners, and a single would do the trick scoring the runner from third to put the Huskies up 1-0.

It wasn't until the fourth inning that ISU got on the board, thanks to some opportunistic baserunning. Malott and Johnson would stand on third and first with two outs, with Zender at the plate. HCU didn't give Zender the chance, as a pitch went astray, allowing Malott to score from third and tie things up.

Houston Christian retook the lead in the fifth thanks to another RBI single, as it went up 2-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, ISU would load the bases with just one out. Clemons would come up to the plate and draw a bases-loaded walk to earn an RBI and tie the game back up at two.

The sixth inning was an ISU explosion, as it placed eight runs on the board and hit three homers. Zender was the first to crack the scoring, punching a ball over the right field fence for a two-run homer. ISU would then load the bases with Clemons back up to bat. Instead of drawing a walk, Clemons clobbered a ball into right center to plate a pair and make it 6-2 in favor of ISU. With HCU nonchalantly getting the ball back in, Clemons took second and Trice came home from third to make it 7-2. Two batters later, Bartholomew smashed her second homer of the day, a two-run shot, to make it 9-2. Right after Bartholomew homered, Johnson Cranked a homer of her own to make it 10-2 as ISU hit the mercy rule and won the game.

Saturday G2 Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Paige Zender (1), Reagan Bartholomew (2), Tatum Johnson (2)
Houston Christian: N/A

WP – Lauren Schurman (4-5): 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Kynleigh Evans (1-4): 5.0 IP, 5 hits, 5 runs, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts

On Deck
Iowa State wraps up the Mardi Gras Mambo tomorrow, March 2, when it returns to the Youngsville Sports Complex to face Grambling State. ISU, currently 2-2 in the tournament, will look to leave with a winning record. Sunday's game is set to start at 10 a.m.

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Team Stats

Sereniti Trice

Jessie Clemons

Reagan Bartholomew

McKenna Andrews

Players Mentioned

McKenna Andrews

Reagan Bartholomew

Jessie Clemons

Abby Huhn

Tatum Johnson

Sydney Malott

Aziza Rodriguez

Lauren Schurman

Sereniti Trice

Paige Zender

Players Mentioned

McKenna Andrews

Reagan Bartholomew

Jessie Clemons

Abby Huhn

Tatum Johnson

Sydney Malott

Aziza Rodriguez

Lauren Schurman

Sereniti Trice

Paige Zender

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