Tigers sweep Cyclones

By Sam Wilson

Published April 27, 2007

Junior Jen Bruck and freshman Jana Hainey both pitched complete-game shutouts in the softball team's sweep of Iowa State Thursday night. But coach Ehren Earleywine said the way they pitch is in no way similar.

"Jana's left-handed and a rise-ball pitcher," he said. "And Jen's right-handed and a drop-ball pitcher. So (they're) not only two different pitchers but two really entirely different looks, and that's nice to have."

Hainey said she likes facing a team immediately after Bruck.

"I like to take advantage of that because they're looking for Jen and her stuff," she said. "So any chance I get, I like to come in and kind of mix it up a little bit for them."

Junior Micaela Minner said facing two pitchers who are so different is a significant obstacle for opponents.

"I think it's a great mix," she said. "After you face Jen, and Jen has her special pitches that work, and then Jana can come in and be a lefty and have her pitches, I think it's tough. As a hitter, it's tough to see a righty and then see a lefty."

Despite shutting out the Cyclones in game one of the doubleheader, Bruck said that type of performance would not be adequate against a tougher opponent.

"It was an OK day," she said. "It wasn't, by far, at all where I should be. I think I kind of struggled getting ahead of batters. I really wasn't in the groove today as a pitcher."

In game one, Bruck got minimal run support. Junior Amanda Renth got an RBI single in the first inning, but that was the game's only run.

In the second game, the Tigers provided Hainey with more run support. In the first inning, senior Sarah Stringer had a two-RBI double and sophomore Andee Allen brought her home with a single on the next at-bat.

In the third inning, the team scored two more runs on a single by Minner and a double by Stringer and would win 5-0.

Hainey, whose other complete game was a 1-0 win against Kansas last week, said the run support made her more comfortable.

"As a pitcher it makes it so much easier," Hainey said. "To go out there and know if it's a 1-0 ballgame, you're so nervous, you're on edge. If it's 5-0, you can go out there and relax a little bit more. You don't want to completely give them everything to hit, but you can relax a little bit."

The wins put the Tigers at 11-2 in the Big 12, tied for first with Baylor. The Tigers and Bears have a two-game set this weekend in Waco, Texas.

"I'd be lying to say there's not pressure," Earleywine said. "But the pressure's good pressure and fun pressure. Our girls are ... loving it right now."