Cyclones eliminated from NCAA Tournament after loss to Missouri

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Zachary D. Bland

Iowa State third baseman Logan Schaben celebrates in the Cyclones’ win over Northern Iowa in the NCAA Regionals. 

Andrew Harrington

The Iowa State softball team collected two wins Saturday, setting them up for a regional final showdown with eighth-seeded Missouri on Sunday in Columbia, Missouri. The Cyclones were unable to win the game and have been eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.

A combination of Saya Swain, Karlie Charles and Ellie Spelhaug pitched the seven innings for the Cyclones.

Swain was removed after just six pitches and was called for an illegal pitch during the second at-bat of the game.

Missouri catcher Hatti Moore put the Tigers on the board early with an RBI double in the top of the first.

The Tigers scored in the top of the second on an infield single off the bat of Abby George. A single to center field by Brooke Wilmes drove in another, making it a 3-0 game.

Missouri scored another run in the top of the third inning off a wild pitch with the bases loaded.

Wilmes hit a solo home run in the seventh to secure a 5-0 victory for the Tigers.

Missouri pitcher Jordan Weber was the story of the game for the Tigers. Weber pitched seven shutout innings without allowing a single hit. Missouri only allowed two hits over three games at the Columbia Regional.

Iowa State Coach Jamie Pinkerton appreciates how far the Iowa State seniors have brought the program and the long road they have traveled.

“It was a great atmosphere, great experience,” Pinkerton spoke proudly about the loyalty of his seniors. “They are first-class individuals, they are A+ human beings and they are pretty good softball players. … The goal of what we wanted to do since we arrived here was to build a regional program, and we’ve built that.”

Senior Sami Williams shared how important advancing to the regional finals was to the team.

“Obviously, today didn’t end how we wanted it to, but we were just soaking it in all weekend, really taking in how far we have come as a program over the past years,” Williams said.

Iowa State softball has a lot to look forward to in the coming years.