Friday: Northern Colorado and Hawaii 

The Cyclones dominated the field Friday afternoon beating the Bears 11-0. Senior Sami Williams had two home runs in the game, giving her a career-high in runs batted in. Freshmen Ellie Spelhaug held the Bears to just one hit in her first collegiate start on the mound. 

It was a slow start to the day. In the top of the fourth, Logan Schaben set the momentum, hitting a home run over the center of left field. The Cyclones lead the game 1-0. 

In the top of the fifth, Bryn Hanrahan walked and Alesia Ranches singled to right field. Williams hit a bomb towards right field which resulted in three runs giving the Cyclones a 4-0 lead.

Inn the 7th inning, the Cyclones added more. Hanrahan singled to center field, Lea Nelson bunted for a hit and Ranches slid one through the left side loading the bases. Hannah Carter hit a single to score Nelson and Hanrahan with Ranches advancing to second base. The Cyclones led the game 6-0. 

The Cyclones didn’t stop there, Schaben smashed a grand slam scoring Kasey Simpson, Mikayla Ramos and Carli Spelhaug. 

Friday night the Cyclones faced University of Hawaii for their third game of the tournament.

Going into the third inning, the Cyclones were down 2-0. Carli Spelhaug doubled down the foul line and Williams dumped one into right field advancing Carli Spelhaug to third. The Cyclones were on the board when Schaben hit a single down the left side allowing Carli Spelhaug to score. 

Hawaii added two more in the fourth inning giving it a 4-1 lead.

The Cyclones were not ready to put the game away yet. To start the sixth inning, Simpson singled to left field and was lifted when Nelson came in to pinch run. Ranches hit a single through the left side and Nelson advanced to second base. The bases were loaded when Carter singled to center field. 

An error was made by the Hawaii shortstop and Ramos took first base. Carter and Ranches advanced and Nelson scored. 

Hanrahan walked which score another run which cut the lead to 4-3.

The Cyclones weren’t done. With the bases loaded, Carli Spelhaug hit a single up the middle resulting in two runs batted in, giving the Cyclones a 5-4 lead over the Bears. 

Iowa State kept piling on as Williams continued her hot streak with a bases-clearing home run over the right center field wall. After the big inning, the Cyclones took the game 8-4.

The Cyclones headed into Saturday 2-1 at the Paradise Classic. 

Saturday: Hawaii and Memphis 

To kick off the first game on Saturday against Hawaii, Williams had a double to right field. Schaben followed suit and doubled to center field scoring her teammate which got the Cyclones out to an early lead at 1-0.

In the bottom of the 2nd with the bases loaded, Carli Spelhaug ground into a fielder’s choice allowing one run to score.

The Cyclones kept Hawaii scoreless through three innings. Simpson doubled to left field and was replaced by Angelica Gonzalez. Ramos came in and singled to right field, advancing Gonzalez to third base.

Williams added another three-run bomb later on, scoring Carli Spelhaug and Hanrahan both scored. 

Ramos ended the fourth with a home run over the left field wall and the Cyclones led the game 6-0.

Catcher Mikaela Gandia-Mak and Outfielder Brittnee Rossi scored for the Warriors later, but it was too little too late. The Cyclones defeated Hawaii 7-2, heading into the last game 3-1 for the series.

To end the Paradise Classic, the Cyclones came back and fought for redemption against the Tigers. 

Memphis took the lead to start the game, earning two runs in the bottom of the first.

Ranches stepped up in the top of the second and hit a home run over the left field wall to put the Cyclones on the scoreboard.

In the top of the third, Williams got on base due to fielding error. Schaben singled towards third base and Williams was able to score on that play. Cyclones tied up the game 2-2 against the Tigers. 

Ramos doubled to right center field scoring a run and scoring Schaben. Cyclones took the lead 3-4. While Ramos was on second base, she stole third on a wild pitch.

To wrap it up for the day, Simpson walked and Ranches hit one towards the Hawaii shortstop and was able to reach base on a fielder’s choice. Ramos scored and the Cyclones defeated the Tigers 4-2 in the last game of the Paradise Classic.