Cyclones face Drake in final non-conference and road regular season game
Mikinna Kerns/Iowa State Daily
Iowa State senior first basemen Sally Woolpert reaches for the ball during the Iowa State vs South Dakota softball game held at the Cyclone Sports Complex April 2. The Cyclones had three home run hits and defeated the Coyotes 9-1.
April 30, 2019
Iowa State travels to Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday to play the Drake Bulldogs.
So far this season, Iowa State has earned a record of 28-21 (4-11 Big 12) and is fifth of seven teams in the Big 12.
Drake has a record of 36-14 (21-2 MVC) which puts the Bulldogs in first place of the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Cyclones have an 8-7 record on the road and have won their last five games in a row; meanwhile, the Bulldogs have won all 12 of their home games this season.
In their 101 games that they have played against the Bulldogs all-time, the Cyclones have won 73 games, 30 of them on the road.
Despite winning 45 more games in the series, Iowa State has only won four of the last 10 games against Drake.
The Bulldogs are unranked, but they did receive five votes be ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll.
This season, Drake has played 10 games against teams that are ranked or were ranked and have a record in 1-9 in those games with their win over then-No. 12 Arkansas by a score of 3-1. Out of their nine losses against ranked teams, eight of them have resulted in losses by four runs or fewer.
Among the Missouri Valley teams, Drake is one of the best pitching and fielding teams in the conference. The Bulldogs have an ERA (earned run average) of 1.90 which is first in the MVC as well as 18th in the country and a fielding percentage of .971 which is second in the MVC and 35th in the country.
Opposing hitters have struggled against Drake. Opponents have been held to a batting average of .171, which is first in the MVC.
In the circle, the Bulldogs are led by one of the best pitchers in the country, redshirt senior Nicole Newman who has an ERA of 0.95 which is best in the MVC and fourth in the country.
Newman has 327 strikeouts which is best in the MVC and the best in the country.
Drake has been a good hitting team in the MVC as they are in top four in the conference in all positive batting categories except for slugging percentage.
First pitch between the Cyclones and Bulldogs is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Buel Field.
