April 12, 2005

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The Iowa State softball team looks to get back to its winning ways this week with four contests in five days. The Cyclones, who are looking to snap a seven-game losing streak, will begin the week with a game against No. 25 Nebraska on Tuesday at NU's Bowlin Stadium starting at 4 p.m. ISU is looking for its first win against the Cornhuskers since the 1999 season when the Cyclones took a 6-3 win in Ames. Iowa State will have an immediate turnaround for a game at Northern Iowa on Thursday at 4 p.m. The Cyclones fell to UNI, 5-3, in extra innings on April 5. Iowa State will return home for a weekend series with Oklahoma State on Saturday and Sunday at the Southwest Athletic Complex, starting at 2 p.m. and noon, respectively.

The Cyclones are currently 12-22 on the season and 0-8 in the Big 12. With another victory this week, Iowa State will match its entire 2004 win total.

Last Time Out
The Cyclones were competitive in all five contests last week, but were unable to come out victorious in any of their games. ISU began the week with a 5-3 loss in extra innings to intrastate rival Northern Iowa on Tuesday. ISU got out to an early 3-0 lead by scoring three runs in the first two innings. However, the Panthers rallied to score four unanswered runs to win the game. The Cyclones had a quick turnaround as they traveled to Missouri for a Big 12 doubleheader with the Tigers. Missourri swept the twinbill from Iowa State, 9-1 and 11-1. ISU wrapped up the week with a two-game series at No. 6 Texas A&M. In Saturday's contest, the Aggies took a 2-0 advantage after the first inning and would go on to secure the 3-0 victory with another run in the bottom of the sixth. In Sunday's series finale, ISU fought hard, rallying from a 2-0 deficit with a run in the second inning on a solo home run by senior Diana Reuter and an RBI double by Cary Akins, scoring freshman Kristy Olsen. The game remained tied until the bottom of the eighth when Aggies starting pitcher Megan Gibson blasted a two-run walk off home run to lift Texas A&M to a 4-0 victory.

About Iowa State (12-22, 0-8 Big 12)
The Cyclones are led by sophomores Katie Reichling and Jessica Quade and junior Cary Akins. Reichling leads the team with a .299 batting average, including six doubles, two home runs and nine RBI. She was named to the all-tournament team at the Florida State Tournament. Quade is second on the team in batting with a .250 average. She is tied for the team lead in RBI with 13. She also has 23 hits. Akins had 20 hits and a batting average of .222. Senior Kim Rodgers and sophomore Fallon Johnson are also making noise this year. Johnson is fifth on the team with a .208 batting average and has seven hits and nine runs and Rodgers is sixth on the team with a .208 batting average. She leads the team with four triples. Pitchers Alyssa Ransom and Katie Reichling have both seen time on the mound and with records of 6-13 and 6-6, respectively.

Head Coach Ruth Crowe
Ruth Crowe is in her ninth season in charge of the Cyclone softball program. Crowe has a 253-346 overall record and a 160-264 mark at ISU. Since taking over the helm in 1997, she has been instrumental in laying down a foundation to bring winning to ISU.

This season, Crowe has a wealth of talent and experience returning led by seniors Misty Kimura and Kim Rodgers and sophomores Alyssa Ransom, Ashley Killeen and Jessica Quade.

Crowe came to Iowa State from Ball State, where she served as head coach from 1992-96. She compiled a 102-103 career coaching record in four years and a 67-70 Mid-American Conference record.

About No. 25 Nebraska
No. 25 Nebraska is currently 24-14 on the season and 2-5 in Big 12 play. The Cornhuskers have won three of their last four games, including a 4-1 upset of No. 8 Baylor on April 9. Nebraska, however, dropped the second game in the series, 7-1, on Sunday. The Cornhuskers swept the series from North Dakota State, 7-0 and 8-0, on April 6-7. Nebraska is led by Anne Steffan, who is batting .477 with 62 hits and 31 runs scored. Lizzy Rock ranks second on the team with a .419 batting average. She is second on the team with 44 hits. Pitcher Ashley Debuhr has a 14-11 overall record and a 1.61 ERA. Nebraska is coached by Rhonda Revelle, who is in her 13th year at Nebraska and has an overall record of 505-268.

Iowa State-Nebraska Series Notes
Iowa State is 14-55 all-time against Nebraska. The Cyclones have lost 12 straight to the Cornhuskers dating back to 1999. The last time ISU defeated Nebraska was on April 25, 1999, when ISU took a 6-3 win in Ames. Last season, No. 19 Nebraska defeated the Cyclones, 6-0, in Lincoln.

About Northern Iowa
Northern Iowa is currently 12-16 on the season and has lost its last three games. The Panthers played a three-game series against conference foe Evansville last weekend, losing all three contests to the Purple Aces (3-0, 5-4, 3-0). Northern Iowa last won on April 7 when it defeated Bradley, 10-3. The Panthers defeated ISU, 5-3, in extra innings, on April 5. UNI is led by senior Erin Strellner, who is batting .398 with 35 hits and nine runs scored. Freshman Jamie Kelling ranks second on the team with a .354 batting average. She has a team-high 18 runs scored. Pitcher Amanda Hess has a 5-6 overall record and 1.89 ERA. The Panthers are coached by third-year coach Christy Hebert, who has an overall record of 54-70.

Iowa State-Northern Iowa Series Notes
Iowa State is 30-18-1 all-time against Northern Iowa. The Cyclones fell, 5-3, in extra innings on April 5, in Ames. ISU won last year's season series, taking the first game, 8-0, in Ames and taking the series in Cedar Falls two weeks later, 9-1.

About Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is currently 28-13 on the season and 3-4 in Big 12 play. The Cowgirls have lost three of its last four games, including a 3-1 loss to league foe Kansas last Sunday. OSU won the first game in the series, 5-4, on Saturday. Oklahoma State is led by sophomore Shanel Scott, who is batting .410. She leads the team with 55 hits and 35 runs. She also has five RBI. Senior Stephanie Nicholson ranks second on the team with a .364 batting average. She is second on the team with 43 hits and third with 31 runs scored. Freshman pitcher Marjorie Johnson has a 9-3 overall record and 1.43 ERA. The Cowgirls are coached by fourth-year head coach Margaret Rebenar, who has an overall record of 123-79.

Iowa State-Oklahoma State Series Notes
Iowa State is 11-41 all-time against Oklahoma State. The Cyclones have lost six straight to the Cowgirls dating back to 2000. The last time ISU defeated Oklahoma was in April of 2000, when ISU took a 3-2 win in eight innings in Stillwater. Last season, the Cyclones lost to Oklahoma State, 2-0, and 5-2 in Stillwater.

Next Up
Next week, Iowa State have a full slate of games on tap when it plays five games in six days starting with a single game at intrastate rival Iowa on Tuesday afternoon. The contest, which starts at 4 p.m., will take place at Iowa's Pearl Field. The Cyclones will then turn around and travel to Des Moines for the rematch with Drake on Wednesday, starting at 4 p.m., before heading to the Lone Star State for a weekend series with No. 4 Texas. Those games begin at 2 p.m., on Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Sunday's contest will be broadcast on ESPN2 and it will mark the first time that the softball team will be featured on national TV.