ISU Softball cruised to an early victory behind a stellar offensive performance against UNI. The Cyclones put together a hitting clinic, showing both discipline and power at the plate.

The Cyclones unloaded on the Panthers’ pitching staff, accumulating 12 runs in a mercy rule shortened game. The Cyclones also tallied 13 hits over the span, with eight of the nine starters recording a hit.

The Cyclones pounced on the Panthers early, taking a 2-1 lead in the first. They never looked back, as they would go on to hold, and expand, their lead across the next four innings.

The Panthers made a push to extend the game with a three-run-homerun in the fifth by Alyssa Buchanan, but their rally would be snuffed out by a four run inning from the Cyclones that ended the game.

Senior shortstop Lexi Slater led the way for the Cyclones, going 3-4 with a whopping four RBIs. Junior Brittany Gomez and sophomore Cathlin Bingham both went 2-3, and accounted for six of the Cyclone’s runs. Freshman Nychole Antillon also chipped another two hits and three RBIs.

Offensive showcases like this one are starting to become the norm around the ISU team, who have one five of their last seven games. The Cyclones have seemed to have found their grove thanks to some senior leadership.

Seniors Lexi Slater and Maddie Reese have both been red hot lately, giving the Cyclones tremendous efforts at the plate.

Slater has been hitting .500 in her last eight games, along with four homeruns and 14 RBIs. She seems to have shaken off her cold start to the season, and should provide an offensive spark throughout the rest of the season.

Reese has been an offensive revelation this season, showing tremendous power that seemed to have come from nowhere. Reese leads the team with seven homeruns, and is second on the team with 18 RBIs. This is a dramatic improvement from her numbers last year, where she was only able to knock in six RBIs and no homeruns.

This was their last tune up game before conference play, where the Cyclones will open with No. 5 Oklahoma. The Sooners are the defending Big 12 champions, but the Cyclones will try continue their offensive tear and show they are a force to be reckoned with this year.