Improving Cyclones prepare for four games at Holy City Showdown
Jack MacDonald/Iowa State Daily
Iowa State’s Kaylee Bosworth gets waved home by coach Jamie Pinkerton during the Cyclones’ 11-4 loss to Texas March 30, 2018, at the Cyclone Sports Complex.
February 21, 2019
After winning two straight games, Iowa State will face a mixed bag of opponents at the Holy City Showdown in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Cyclones will take on Marshall, Radford, Appalachian State and Dartmouth.
“We know that they’re not as highly recognized as teams such as Florida State or anything like that, but we know that we have to stay with them and keep up with them to not fall to them,” said senior center fielder Taylor Nearad. “We know we can beat these teams and go 4-0.”
On Friday, the Cyclones will play two games, starting with one game against Marshall at 11:15 a.m.
The Thundering Herd have had a good start to the season and are 7-3 so far, with all three losses coming by one run each. Iowa State and Marshall have one common opponent so far this season in the Portland State Vikings.
The Cyclones beat the Vikings 3-2 and the Thundering Herd beat the Vikings 7-4.
The Cyclones could have a leg up on the Thundering Herd.
“We play my old team that I was on last year, and so I know quite a bit about them,” said sophomore pitcher Tatum Ksiazek.
After facing the Thundering Herd, the Cyclones will face Radford at 3:45 p.m.
The Highlanders are 4-1 on the season with their lone loss coming against the Rhode Island Rams by a score of 4-3.
On Saturday, Iowa State will face off against Appalachian State at 4:45 p.m. The Mountaineers are 3-3 so far this season.
In the final game of the weekend, the Cyclones will take on Dartmouth at 8 a.m. Sunday. Out of all the teams the Cyclones face in the Holy City Showdown, the Big Green may be the hardest to gauge because they haven’t played a game this season. The Big Green went 22-18 last season.
The Holy City showdown is the Cyclones’ third tournament of six before conference play begins March 22.
“The main thing we’ve got to focus on as we get toward Big 12 play is we got to focus on us, our identity and what we’re going to do,” said Iowa State head softball coach Jamie Pinkerton. “We’ve already proven that we can play with teams and I think we’ll only get better if we go out and do what I think we’re capable of.”
