PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – In its first matchup with a ranked opponent in 2024, Iowa State (1-1) fell to No. 11 Duke (1-1) by a score of 16-3 in five innings.

ISU had eight hits on the day, led by Tatum Johnson and Angelina Allen who each had a pair. Ashley Minor provided the Cyclone scores, as the sophomore belted a two-run blast in the second inning and had a near grand slam sacrifice fly the inning after.

Jaiden Ralston (0-1) got the start for the Cyclones, pitching an inning and two-thirds where she gave up four runs (two earned). Johnson would replace Ralston for a pair of outs before both freshmen, Aziza Rodriguez and Lauren Schurman, would see game action.

19 of Iowa State’s 25-man roster saw the field on Friday.

The Cyclones ran into a hot offense, as the Blue Devils scored their 16 runs on 16 hits, powered by a pair of homers – one being a grand slam. Cuke’s Claire Davidson had 6 RBI on the morning, going 3-of-4 at the plate. Eight different Blue Devils had hits and seven recorded RBI.

Dani Drogemuller (1-0) picked up the win for Duke.

Friday Notes

Home Runs

Iowa State: Ashley Minor (1)

Duke: Claire Davidson (1), Amiah Burgess (1)

WP – Dani Drogemuller (1-0): 2.1 IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts

SV – N/A

LP – Jaiden Ralston (0-1): 1.2 IP, 4 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 1 walk, 0 strikeouts

On Deck

Iowa State will be back at Nancy Almaraz Stadium tomorrow afternoon for a second straight top-15 matchup as it’s set to square off with No. 7 Washington. Saturday’s first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game will be streamed on FloSoftball.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa Soccer will face five spring opponents, including three Spring Cup games, Head Coach Dave DiIanni announced on Friday. The Hawkeyes will host two home matches with free admission in Iowa City.

The slate includes a diverse array of competition, opening with a friendly against the NWSL Chicago Red Stars. Iowa will also face at least two NCAA Tournament qualifiers and one SEC opponent.

Some event venues remain to be determined, pending weather.

Iowa visits the Chicago Red Stars on March 2 at 1:45 p.m. (CT) to open spring competition. The Red Stars begin the NWSL season two weeks later on March 16 in their first season under Head Coach Lorne Donaldson. The NWSL is the top professional women’s soccer league in the United States.

Iowa opens Spring Cup play at home on March 23 against Saint Louis. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. The Billikens advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 last season, winning the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship and finishing 19-3-2 overall.

The Spring Cup is a round-robin tournament that features 12 teams divided into four brackets. Each team plays two games within its group before moving on to the championship rounds. Iowa is in Group 3, along with Missouri and Saint Louis.

The Hawkeyes travel to face Missouri at 10 a.m. (CT) on April 7 to complete group play. Iowa closes out the tournament on April 13 in Indianapolis.

Iowa finishes the spring slate at home on April 20 against Milwaukee. The Panthers were Horizon League champions and NCAA Tournament qualifiers last season.

The full schedule and Spring Cup pairings can be viewed below.

Spring Schedule

*Spring Cup Game

SPRING CUP GROUPS

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa junior pitcher Brody Brecht was named to the preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List, it was announced Friday by USA Baseball.

Since 1978, the award has been given to the top amateur baseball player in the country. The preseason list includes 55 players across high school and college baseball.

Former Hawkeye Jake Adams was a semifinalist for the award in 2017. Tim Costo was a finalist in 1990.

Brecht was named a preseason first-team All-American by Perfect Game, D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association

Brecht posted a 3.74 ERA in 17 appearances as a sophomore. The Ankeny, Iowa, native allowed just 38 hits and 28 runs over 77 innings. He allowed just nine extra base hits and a .174 batting average against. Brecht led the nation with 4.32 hits allowed per nine innings and tallied 109 strikeouts, the second most in program history.

Brecht was named a third-team All-American by the NCBWA and Perfect Game last season and a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game in 2022.

Iowa will begin its season at the Swig & Swine College Classic in Charleston, South Carolina, from Feb. 15-17. The team will face Seton Hall in its season opener.

Winners of four of their last five games the 14th ranked Iowa State men return home on Saturday to host TCU. The Cyclones are 6-3 in the Big 12 and edged the Horned Frogs 73-72 in Fort Worth last month. The Cyclones forced 27 TCU turnovers in the first meeting.

That’s ISU coach T.J. Otzelberger. Cyclone guard Tamin Lipsey missed the first game against TCU with an injured shoulder.

In-state rivals collide in a wrestling dual Sunday in Ames when fourth ranked Iowa State hosts number-17 Northern Iowa. The Cyclones will be in search of their fifth straight win in the series.

That’s ISU coach Kevin Dresser who says the time of the dual has been changed to accommodate fans who want to watch the Super Bowl.

UNI coach Doug Schwab says it is a perfect day to renew this rivalry.

Schwab says while it is a heated rivalry it is based on respect.

Former Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy and former Iowa tight end George Kittle hope to lead the San Francisco 49ers to their frst Super Bowl win since 1995 when they play the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas on Sunday. Purdy says this is where they wanted to season to end.

Purdy on the game featuring two former Big 12 quarterbacks.

Purdy must go against a Chiefs’ defense that is one of the NFL’s best.

Kittle says this has been the goal since the 49ers lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in last season’s NFC Championship game.

The 49ers lost to the Chiefs 31-20 in the Super Bowl four years ago but Kittle says that is not providing additional motivation.

Kittle says his pregame routine will be like every other game.