The ISU softball team was crowned the champion of the Charleston Southern University Fastpitch Invitational over the weekend, with Katie Reichling providing the home run heard throughout Charleston.

With the Cyclones down 2-0 in the sixth inning against Kennesaw State, Ellen Buehner got on base with a leadoff bunt. Two errors later, the bases were loaded for Reichling when she sent a pitch over the center field wall for a grand slam, giving the Cyclones a 4-2 lead.

Iowa State’s Alyssa Ransom walked the first batter she faced in the seventh inning, but then retired the last three to clinch the tournament win.

Reichling was named tournament MVP, and Ransom and catcher Ashley Killeen were named to the all-tournament team.

Killeen, who had recorded a hit in her previous six games, was held hitless over the last two games of the tournament. Reichling has now gotten a hit in each of the Cyclones last eight games.

Ransom clinched the semifinal and the championship game with stellar pitching. Against the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, she struck out five, allowed six hits and two earned runs. In the title game, she struck out three and allowed two earned runs against a team that had scored 10 and 16 runs in tournament games earlier that day.

The Cyclones are now 10-6 on the season, riding an eight-game win streak, which includes seven straight in the tournament. The softball team travels this weekend to Florida to participate in the Stetson Tournament in Deland, Fla.

– Al Reed