Iowa State softball started the Louisville Slugger Invitational with two shutout wins Friday.

After losing six of its last 10 games, Iowa State topped Long Beach State 4-0 and Boston University 8-0 Friday afternoon. Iowa State beat Long Beach State on its home diamond in Long Beach, Calif.

Complete game

Iowa State just needed a piece together a complete seven inning game, head coach Jamie Pinkerton said after the Wildcat Invitational.

In Friday’s double header, Pinkerton’s team played two.  

Iowa State started the weekend with a multi-run first inning against Boston. Angelina Allen hit a first inning double to score Carli Spelhaug and an Iowa State rally began.  An RBI walk from Kaylee Pond added another run to the Cyclone tally. The Cyclones ended the first frame up three runs over Boston.

“We’ve proven in our games, we frenzy hit,” Pinkerton said. “We get on a roll; we score a lot of runs.”

The rally continued in the second when Carli Spelhaug tripled to right field. Mikayla Ramos brought her home with an RBI groundout in second inning. Iowa State was up 4-0 after two innings of action.

From start to finish Iowa State batters gave Karli Charles and a defensive unit some cushion to play with.

Playing against Long Beach State, Iowa State started with another three-run first inning. This, time it was Milaysia Ochoa starting off the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning. The Cyclones sent eight batters to the plate in the first frame.

Long Beach State starter Morgan Quinlan lasted only one inning before needing relief. Long Beach State used three relief pitchers in Friday’s game, none of which contributed more than three innings.

Two shutouts

“Little fixable things” was Pinkerton’s priority heading into the weekend. But, on Friday the defensive unit didn’t need to be perfect.

Heading into Friday’s slate of games, the Cyclones had not pitched a shutout. Friday, starting pitchers Karli Charles and Ellie Spelhaug and relief pitcher Saya Swain pitched 14 shutout innings.

Against Boston, Karli Charles got her fifth start of the season. Charles threw five innings of shutout softball, giving up five hits and no walks. Charles worked efficiently throwing 80 pitches before leaving the game before the top of the sixth.

Saya Swain recorded the save in two innings from the bullpen. Swain allowed just one hit.

Against Long Beach State, Ellie Spelhaug notched a complete game shutout and the junior’s fourth win of the season. Spelhaug matched a career high six strikeouts, did not allow a walk and gave up no runs.

For Spelhaug, it’s the second shutout of 2022. Spelhaug allowed no earned runs in 6.1 innings of work against Washington earlier in the year.

Iowa State had just two errors in both games on Friday.

Next up

Saturday afternoon the Cyclones have another challenge. UCF will play the Cyclones at 2 p.m. in Fullerton, Calif.

The Golden Knights, at 18-7, are just outside the national top-25. UCF beat Boston University 6-2 in its only game at the Louisville Slugger Invitational Friday.

“We’re going to be playing programs that know how to win,” Iowa State head coach Jamie Pinkerton said. “We’ll have to be sharp.”

Next, Iowa State will play Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m. The game will be a true road game for Iowa State. Cal State Fullerton will be playing on its home ballfield. Cal State Fullerton will be playing UCF shortly before Iowa State. The Titans are 14-9 on the 2022 season.