Who: Iowa State (12-18, 3-6 Big 12) vs. UNI (16-11, 4-2 Big 12)
Where: Cyclone Sports Complex – Ames, Iowa
When: April 2 – 4 p.m
Leading Off
Iowa State is back at the Cyclone Sports Complex this week, kicking off a nine-game home stand against the UNI Panthers on Tuesday. The Cyclones and Panthers met earlier this fall as part of the Big Four Classic with ISU winning.
After a week off from action due to a series cancellation, Iowa State was back in action over the weekend, taking one of three at No. 23 Baylor. The Cyclones used a three-run, seventh inning rally to take game two of the weekend series and secure their first ranked win of the season.
UNI enters Tuesday’s game having won three of its last five outings. The Panthers own a top-25 victory on the year, defeating then-24 Auburn, 4-2, on its home field. UNI also played then-11 Alabama close, losing 1-0 in Tuscaloosa. Like the Cyclones, the Panthers had a weekend conference series canceled due to weather two weeks ago.
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 8.2 runs scored a game in wins but just 2.6 runs in losses.
- Junior outfielder Angelina Allen has been phenomenal to start the season. She’s 29th in the country in hits (47) which is tops in the Big 12. Her 10 doubles are second in the conference and rank her 66th nationally.
- Allen has 84 total bases on the season, the seventh most in the Big 12. Allen has the seventh-highest batting average in the conference (.452) and ranks 19th 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.
- Along with Allen, Ochoa has 10 doubles on the year and is tied for second in the Big 12 with her fellow team captain.
- 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
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 .351 with 19 walks drawn and four HBP – giving her an OBP of .475. Both Allen and Ochoa lead the team in on-base percentage from the first two spots in the batting order.
Ashley Minor, Alesia Ranches, Tiana Poole and Carla 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 .304 out of the nine-hole and turning the lineup over for the Cyclones.
All six pitchers on staff have taken the circle this season, including freshman Lauren Schurman leading the way with a team-high 46 innings pitched. Senior Karlie Charles has thrown 37.2 innings while Aziza Rodriguez have hurled 34.1. Jaiden Ralston leads the team in strikeouts with 34, while Schurman is right behind with 26 and senior Saya Swain you are 24
Opponent of Outlook
UNI is led on offense by catcher Alexis Pupillo. Pupillo has a team-best 23 hits, 25 runs, .307 batting average and 27 RBI. She’s the only Panther to be hitting over .300 and she’s also stolen 11 bases on the year. Kate Lappe has the second-most RBI on the team with 16.
Addison McElrath, a Moville, Iowa native, is tied for the team lead in doubles and has 15 RBI on 17 hits. McElrath had her first multi-home run performance last week as she helped the Panthers go 3-1 on the week.
Pupillo’s 11 homers rank No. 24 nationally and lead the Missouri Valley Conference. She also leads the league in RBI per game (1.00), runs per game (.93) and slugging percentage (.800).
The Panthers have two inning-eaters in the circle, as both Samantha Heyer and Anna Wischnowski had over 66 innings pitched on the season. Heyer totes a 1.78 ERA and is 7-4 on the year with 96 punchouts. Wischnowski has 52 strikeouts to her name and is 8-4.
Collectively, UNI hits at a .226 average as a team, holds opponents to 4.2 runs per game and fields at a .964 clip.
Series History
Iowa State and UNI will meet for the 89th time on Tuesday, in a series that dates all the way back to 1974. The Cyclones have won seven of the last ten meetings against the Panthers, including two wins in Cedar Falls last season. In Ames, ISU is 20-12-1 and has won three of the last four at the CSC.
On Deck
Iowa State will be back in action this weekend when it welcomes the Kansas Jayhawks to the Cyclone Sports Complex. ISU and KU will kick off their weekend series on Friday, April 5 at 4 pm with the action being streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
