Brief winning streak ends with loss at Iowa

Cyclone+infielder+Aly+Cappaert+prepares+to+swing+and+hit+the+ball+during+the+game+against+University+of+Missouri-Kansas+City+on+April+29%2C+2013.+The+Cyclones+were+victorious+with+a+final+score+of+7-4.+Cappaert+finished+with+two+home+runs.%0A

Cyclone infielder Aly Cappaert prepares to swing and hit the ball during the game against University of Missouri-Kansas City on April 29, 2013. The Cyclones were victorious with a final score of 7-4. Cappaert finished with two home runs.

Dan Cole

The ISU softball team fell to Iowa 8-3 on Wednesday night in Iowa City in this season’s installment of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series.

The loss put an end to the short two-game winning streak the Cyclones (21-30, 4-11 Big 12) had started after beating UMKC twice on Monday afternoon.

Both teams got their bats going early and consistently in Wednesday’s game, both scoring runs in each of the first three innings. The Hawkeyes (27-23, 5-15 Big Ten) were able to jump ahead of the Cyclones early, however, leading 6-3 after three innings.

Iowa junior Brianna Luna added a solo homerun in the bottom of the fifth to make it 7-3 Hawkeyes.

Sarah Hawryluk went 3-for-4 for Iowa State on Wednesday and was one of three players on the team with multiple hits.

ISU junior Taylor Smith started in the pitcher’s circle for the Cyclones, going just 2.2 innings while allowing six earned runs on 10 hits. The pitching staff has struggled for Iowa State this season; Smith’s 5.12 ERA going into Wednesday’s game was the best on the team.

Senior Tori Torrescano took over in relief of Smith in the third inning, putting in 3.1 innings of work and allowing two earned runs on three hits and three walks.

Hawkeye junior Kayla Massey got the start for Iowa, pitching her way to a complete game victory while allowing just two earned runs on nine hits and two walks.

The all-time series between the two rivals has been fairly even overall, with Iowa State now leading by just a slim margin of 38-36-1.

Iowa was just 3-11 at home this season prior to Wednesday’s game, but still managed to get going enough offensively to put Iowa State away early on.

The Cyclones will take their brief in-state road trip to Cedar Falls tomorrow night to play Northern Iowa at 6:30 p.m.