Iowa State Softball edges Saint Louis in series finale to complete sweep

Iowa State Softball edges Saint Louis in series finale to complete sweep
Courtesy of Iowa State University
March 22nd, 2021 | Beth Rogers

St. Louis, Mo. – Junior catcher Mikayla Ramos homered twice to lead Iowa State (22-5) to a 4-3 victory over Saint Louis (5-12) on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Cyclones capped off a three-game sweep of SLU at the Billiken Sports Center.

For Ramos, Sundays performance was the capper to an outstanding weekend at the plate, going 6-of-10 with three home runs, seven RBI and four runs scored in three games vs. Saint Louis.

Sophomore pitcher Karlie Charles was excellent in the circle, giving up just one run on three hits with seven strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work to improve to 10-2 on the season.

Iowa State 4, Saint Louis 3
The Billikens took their first lead of the weekend in the bottom of the second inning. Alyssa Chavez hit a RBI single down the left field line to put SLU in front 1-0.

Iowa State would not trail for long, however. Carli Spelhaug picked up a lead-off single in the top of the third, and then stole second base. Ramos then came to the plate and crushed a two-run homer to left field, giving the Cyclones a 2-1 lead. Logan Schaben would lay down a sacrifice bunt later in the inning, scoring Milaysia Ochoa to extend the lead to 3-1.

Ramos hit her second home run on the day in the top of the fifth, a solo shot to right center to make it 4-1 in favor of the Cyclones. It was the first multi-home run game of Ramos career.

Charles exited the circle to begin the bottom of the fifth, and the Billikens took advantage. Saint Louis scored two on a RBI single by Gabbie Kowalik, and put runners on second and third with nobody out. With SLU threatening to re-take the lead, Charles re-entered to pitch.

The sophomore was masterful, striking out the first three batters she faced to keep the tying run stranded on third.

Charles and the Cyclone defense put the Billikens down in order in the next two innings to secure the 4-3 victory.

On Deck
Iowa State will have its home opener on Friday at 4 p.m. CT at the Cyclone Sports Complex. The Cyclones will take on No. 1 Oklahoma in game one of a three-game series in Ames.

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