Who: Iowa State (17-25, 5-13 Big 12) vs. St. Thomas (14-31, 8-7 Summit)
Where: Cyclones Sports Complex – Ames, Iowa
When: April 23 – 4 p.m
Leading Off
Following a four-game road trip in the Beehive State, the Cyclones return to the Cyclone Sports Complex for their final scheduled home midweek game of the season against the St. Thomas Tommies.
Iowa State went 1-3 last week after having its midweek game against Iowa postponed. The Cyclones battled against BYU on the road, but were swept by the conference newcomers before turning their attention to Utah Valley on Sunday. ISU dispatched UVU for the second time this season on Sunday, earning a 4-2 win.
St. Thomas has been on a hot streak as of late, as the Tommies have won seven of their last eight contests. The Tommies are currently in third place in the Summit League with just over two weeks remaining in the season.
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.
- Iowa State earned its third win over a ranked team last weekend. It’s the second straight year that ISU has earned at least three ranked wins.
- The Cyclones have been a bit feast or famine early in the season, as the team averages 7.4 runs scored a game in wins but just 2.6 runs in losses.
- Junior outfielder Angelina Allen has been phenomenal this season and is pushing for an all-time single season performance. She’s 23rd in the country in hits (63) which is tops in the Big 12. Her 16 doubles are first in the conference and rank her 11th nationally.
- Allen has 112 total bases on the season, the third most in the Big 12. Allen has the best batting average in the conference (.441) and ranks 16th 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 is just behind Allen for the most doubles in the conference, as she currently sits at 14 – the 33rd now in the country.
- Senior Saya Swain recorded her seventh career save in Vegas earlier this season. She needs two more to break the all-time program record.
- Swain has been sidelined since the third week of the season due to injury.
Leading the Cyclones
The Cyclone offense both literally and statistically starts with a pair of lefties in Ochoa and Allen. Allen leads the Cyclones in most every offensive category outside of runs, triples and walks drawn. Ochoa, a fellow team captain, has complimented Allen nicely at the top of the order. From the leadoff spot, Milaysia is hitting .318 with 23 walks drawn and six HBP.
Alesia Ranches he had a solid season for the Cyclones too, as the fifth-year senior is batting .290 with 36 hits and 23 RBI. Olivia Wardlow, Ashley Minor, Tiana Poole and Carli Spelhaug all have over 25 hits and help power the Cyclone offense. Overall, ISU’s offense slashes .269/.361/.451 and averages 4.5 runs per game.
All six players on the Cyclone pitching staff have seen the circle this season, including seniors Saya Swain and Karlie Charles leading the way. Charles holds a 3.74 ERA and has pitched a team-high 73 innings. Swain, who has the lowest ERA on the team with a 2.07, has not pitched since mid-February due to injury.
Lauren Schurman, Jaiden Ralston, Aziza Rodriguez and Tatum Johnson make up the remainder of the staff, with all being either a sophomore or freshman. Ralston has a team-best 45 strikeouts and opposing hitters bat just .298 against her. As a staff, ISU holds a 5.24 ERA with five complete games and opposing batters are hitting .308.
Opponent Outlook
The Tommie offense is led by Kaitlyn Raymond who has a team-high 44 hits on the season. Four other Tommies have at least 30 hits, with Ella Cook leading the charge with 35 RBI. Avery Wukawitz brings the pop to the lineup, as 18 other 38 hits have gone for extra bases.
Both Raymond and Wukawitz are solid on the base paths with Raymond owning 13 steals while Wukawaitz has 14. Overall, UST’s offense slashes .255/.349/.403 and averages 4.1 runs per game.
St. Thomas’s pitching consists of a two-headed staff that includes Cristina Crawford and Ella Cook who plays both ways. Both are over 100 innings pitched on the season and combine to make up 20 complete games. Cook has 64 strikeouts to Crawford’s 63 and opposing batters are hitting just .315 off the two of them.
Morgan Klein and Keira Murphy have also seen the circle for the Tommies but have only combined to pitch 50 innings on the year. As a staff, UST holds a 5.78 ERA with 20 complete games and two shutouts as opposing batters are hitting .314 against them.
Series History
Iowa State and St. Thomas will meet for the first time ever on Tuesday. ISU is 66-17 against Summit League teams all time and met up with Kansas City earlier this season on the road.
On Deck
Following its brief return to the Cyclone Sports Complex, Iowa State will be back on the road for a four-game road trip beginning this weekend at top-ranked Texas. This weekend’s series in Austin is scheduled to get underway on April 26 with game one action starting at 6 pm
