Bull KTIC
KTIC Channel
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Iowa State (17-4) opened the Mizzou Tournament with a 9-1 run-rule victory over Kent State (3-7) on Friday at Mizzou Softball Stadium.
Senior Sami Williams went 3-of-4 at the plate with two RBI, two runs and hit one of Iowa State’s three homers on the day.
Starting pitcher Ellie Spelhaug improved to 6-0 on the season with a complete game victory. Spelhaug allowed just three hits in 6.0 innings of work.
Iowa State 9, Kent State 1
The Cyclones took an early lead, plating the first run of the game in the top of the first inning. Sami Williams drove a single up the middle, stole second and then advanced to third on a fly ball off the bat of Mikayla Ramos. Freshman Milaysia Ochoa then notched a RBI double to left, scoring Williams to put ISU in front 1-0.
Kent State responded with its lone run of the day in the bottom of the first. Brenna Brownfield collected the RBI on a single up the middle to score Brooklyn Whitt.
Sarah Tyree hit the first home run of her career on a shot down the left field line in the top of the second inning. The native of Bixby, Okla., gave the Cyclones a 2-1 lead they would not surrender. Alesia Ranches added to it with a two-run homer of her own in the top of the third inning.
Williams’ solo home run to left center in the fifth made it a 5-1 Cyclone advantage. It was the senior’s 11th homer of the season, already tied for fifth on Iowa State’s single-season home runs list.
The Cyclones piled up four more runs in the sixth inning to complete the run-rule victory. Tyree picked up her second RBI of the day on a single, and Carli Spelhaug followed suit with a RBI base hit of her own. Williams later singled to score Skyler Ramos before Spelhaug scored the final run of the day on a passed ball, giving ISU a 9-1 lead.
On Deck
Iowa State is back in action on Saturday at Mizzou Softball Stadium. The Cyclones face Kent State at 12:30 p.m., followed by a 5:30 p.m. contest vs. No. 17 Missouri.
