THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa softball team host Iowa State in a midweek matchup at Bob Pearl Field. This is the final matchup of the 2022-23 Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. (CT)
WATCH AND LISTEN LIVE
The in-state match up will be broadcast on Big Ten Network with Jason Ross Jr. and Sammy Nettling on the call. It will also be broadcast live on Hawkeye Radio Network with Lucas Strain. Fans can access the stream free on YouTube. Live stats will be available on hawkeyesports.com and updates will be available on Twitter (@iowasoftball).
𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series 😤
🥎 @iowasoftball vs Iowa State
🕰 April 26 @ 5 pm
📍 Bob Pearl Field
📺 B1G Network
⚫️ BLACK OUT #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/lZ8q2QTWi2— The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) April 25, 2023
IOWA CORN CY-HAWK SERIES
The Cy-Hawk Series is in its 18th season in 2022-23 and is sponsored for the 11th time by Iowa Corn.
Iowa State won the 2021-22 series, 14-11, and the all-time series is now 8-8-1.
Iowa State leads the 2022-23 series, 15-8, following wins in women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s swim and dive, and women’s tennis. Iowa holds wins in wrestling, men’s and women’s basketball, and gymnastics.
The Cy-Hawk softball series is sitting at 8-8-1. The Hawkeyes won the first meeting in 2005. Iowa State has won the last three matchups.
The series awards two points (except football, which is worth three) to the winning school in each head-to-head match-up between the two institutions. Additionally, one point is awarded to an institution if the graduation rate of its student-athletes is greater than the national average as reported each fall by the NCAA.
SCOUTING IOWA STATE
Head Coach Jamie Pinkerton is in his sixth season leading the Cyclones. The come in with a 18-27 record on the season and are in last place in the Big 12. This past weekend they went 2-2 in a four-game series against Colorado State. They have won five of their seven games. The Cyclones upset No. 3 Oklahoma State in a conference match up on April 16th.
CYCLONE STAT LEADERS
AVG – Milaysia Ochoa (.319)
H – Milaysia Ochoa (44)
HR – Milaysia Ochoa (9)
RBI – Milaysia Ochoa (21)
SB – Carli Spelhaug (12)
ERA – Karlie Charles (2.86)
SO – Saya Swain (104)
W – Saya Swain (5)
B1G STATS
Senior Nia Carter ranks first in the conference for BA (.470), hits (79), and toughest to strike out. Carter’s BA is seventh in the nation and is ranked second in the nation for hits. She ranks fourth in the conference for OBP (.513). Carter is one of seven players in the conference who has struck out less than seven times on the season.
Junior Grace Banes is tied for fourth in the conference for triples (3). Freshman Tory Bennett is tied for 14th in the conference for hits (48).
BRINGING IT IN THE CIRCLE
The Hawkeyes pitchingt staff ERA is third in the conference (2.28). Three of the Iowa pitchers are ranked in the top 10 in the conference for ERA. Vasquez is leading the team with a with a 1.96 ERA (7th in B1G) followed by Loecker who has the eighth best ERA in the conference (2.03) and Adams is ninth with a 2.12 ERA. Iowa is one of two teams in the conference to have multiple pitchers in the top 10.
Vasquez is ranked fourth in the conference in BA against (.198) and ranks sixth in strikeouts (129). Loecker is ranked second in the conference for saves (6).
FRESH FACES
Iowa has had three freshman who have started in at least 50% of the games this season. Tory Bennett has started in all 48 games thus far at shortstop and is fourth on the team in hitting (.306).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Carter currently is tied for 10th all-time in career hits (215).
Carter’s 79 hits this season has her ranked seventh in a single-season at Iowa.
Loecker ranks eighth all-time in career home runs (21).
Vasquez is two strikeouts away from 400 in her career.
Klosterman is five hits away from 100 in her career.
TAKE A LEAD AND KEEP IT
The Hawkeyes have a 22-4 record when they score first. Iowa is also 20-2 when leading after the fifth inning.