Finally.

The Iowa State baseball team received two well-deserved things on Thursday afternoon — a win and a home game.

After opening the season with 20 games away from Ames and recording a 7-13 record, the Cyclones beat the St. Ambrose Fighting Bees 7-0.

But it wasn’t easy.

Cyclone starter Jason Mathys and Fighting Bee hurler Scott Cheek hooked up in a pitcher’s duel for the first four innings, leaving the scoreboard blank for both sides.

But in the fifth, ISU broke through. After two quick outs, right fielder Jeff Duncan drew a walk, and Shawn Leimbek promptly drilled a two-run homer over the 400-foot sign in dead center field.

After walking in his two previous plate attempts, Leimbek said he was ready for a good pitch. Down 1-2 in the count, Cheek threw a change-up that Leimbek teed off on.

In the seventh, Leimbek again accounted for the Cyclones’ single tally, this time with a base hit that scored Brad Bjorklund.

“It was frustrating not to get any hits early,” Leimbek said. He said that the Bees’ soft-throwing lefty kept the Cyclones off balance.

Going into the bottom of the eighth, ISU held a 3-0 advantage — thanks in large part to a pitching gem turned in by Mathys.

Against Mathys, St. Ambrose managed to get a runner to third base only twice.

“I thought Jason pitched an outstanding game,” ISU Coach Lyle Smith said. “He threw real well.”

“I felt really good today,” Mathys said. “[And] the defense played so well behind me.”

Leading the defensive charge were third baseman Bill Uelmen, who had seven assists, and Duncan, who made a diving catch in shallow right to open the game.

Mathys (1-0) entered the contest with an ERA of 8.59 and having thrown only 7.1 innings on the season, but kept the Bees at Bay by allowing only five hits. He also recorded four strikeouts and issued only one walk.

The Bees, who had played a clean ballgame until the eighth, collapsed. St. Ambrose made two errors and ISU stole three bases in the frame.

To add insult to injury, left fielder Aaron Runk put the cap on the game by launching his fourth home run of the year, a two-out, two-run blast to center.

In all, four runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the eighth, something Mathys figured was bound to happen.

“I knew the offense was going to come around,” he said.

Ironically, the ISU onslaught occurred soon after Texas A&M players showed up to prepare for their three-game series today and Saturday at Cap Timm Field.

ISU closer Steve Larkin pitched a scoreless ninth inning to seal the Cyclone victory.

“It’s really good to be home,” Smith said. “I thought we played well.”

He said that Mathys’ ability to go deep into the game will keep ISU’s relief-pitching staff intact for the important conference games this weekend.

ISU, 2-5 in conference, hosts the 11th-rated Aggies at 3 p.m. today and in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. tomorrow.