Upcoming Event: Softball versus DMACC on September 17, 2025 at 4 p.m.
4 p.m.
Softball
DMACC
Iowa State University Athletics
Saturday, April 26
Salt Lake City, Utah
1 p.m.
Iowa State University
28-19, 0
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at
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Utah
12-36, 0
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Iowa State
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Utah
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Cyclones Score Most Runs Since 2017 in Run-Rule Win
04.26.2025 | Softball
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – It was a historic afternoon for Iowa State (28-19, 13-7 Big 12) on Saturday, as the Cyclones downed Utah (12-36, 4-16) by a score of 18-7 in five frames, scoring its most runs since 2017 against Alabama A&M.
With the win, Iowa State secured its second-ever winning record in conference play in school history (1987). The Cyclones also drew 14 walks, its most in a game since 2017.
Despite the 18 runs scored, Iowa State had just ten hits on the day with Angelina Allen and Karlee Ford leading the way with two apiece. Ford had a mammoth game, totaling six RBI – a career-high – which included her first career grand slam. Four Cyclones (Jessie Clemons, Tatum Johnson, Sydney Malott and Ford) recorded a pair of walks. Allen and Malott also had three RBI apiece, tied for the second-most on the team.
Sami Potvin started things off in the circle, handling the first frame of work, allowing one earned run on two hits. Lauren Schurman came in for middle relief, hurling two innings and allowing two runs on four hits. Jaiden Ralston (10-7) handled the rest, tossing the final two frames and allowing no earned runs on one hit.
Shelbi Ortiz led the way for the Utes, totaling three hits with a pair of RBI and scoring three runs. Shonti Passi had two hits, as she was the only other Ute with more than one hit on the day as two others collected knocks. Four Utes saw the circle, with starter Shelbee Jones (6-16) taking the decision.
How it Happened
Utah struck first on Saturday, plating one in the first. A leadoff single from Shelbi Ortiz was eventually moved over on a sacrifice bunt to put a runner in scoring position with one out. A Kaylah Nelsen single driven up the middle would plate Ortiz and put the Utes up 1-0.
Iowa State responded in the second frame using some quality two-out hitting to take the lead. With two out, back-to-back walks from Ford and Nosan put a pair on. Tiana Poole stepped up and ripped a single through the middle scoring one to tie it up. Next up, McKenna Andrews lifted a double over the center fielder's head to plate both Nosan and Poole put ISU up, 3-1.
The Utes had an answer in the bottom of the frame, taking advantage of two ISU errors to retake the lead. After the first two batters reached on errors, a sacrifice bunt would move both over into scoring position. With two on and two outs, an Ortiz single would score a pair and make it 3-2. One batter later, and with Ortiz on second following a steal, Passi sent another single into the outfield to plate Ortiz and make it 4-3.
The Iowa State bats exploded in the third, plating five runs to regain control of the game. Clemons led things off with a double before Johnson drew a walk. With runners on first and second, Allen ripped her third double of the series down the left line to plate Clemons and put two runners in scoring position. A Malott walk later, and the bases were loaded with no outs. Ford stepped into the batter's box and took advantage, rocketing a 1-2 pitch over the left center fence to make it 8-4 in favor of ISU.
Another ISU error resulted in a Ute run in the bottom of the frame, as the team's would enter the fourth with the game sitting at a score of 8-5 and ISU in front.
Iowa State added on in the fourth, plating another three runs. Clemons led off with a walk before Johnson would hit a single through the right side to put runners on the corners. An Allen sac fly to deep center would score Clemons and make it 9-5. One batter later, Malott cranked her team-leading 11th home run of the season, a two-run shot, to make it 11-5.
ISU piled on in the fifth, plating seven runs to score 18 total – its most since 2017. Four straight walks led off the frame, adding a run. An Allen RBI single and another bases loaded walk would make it 14-5. Ford had another big frame, doubling in two more before Nosan doubled in the final two, putting the Cyclones up 13, 18-5.
Utah scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the frame but were unable to come any closer as Iowa State claimed its fifth Big 12 series win of the season.
Saturday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Karlee Ford (3), Sydney Malott (11)
Utah: N/A
WP – Jaiden Ralston (10-7): 2.0 IP, 1 hit, 2 runs (0 earned), 2 walks, 1 strikeout
SV – N/A
LP – Shelbee Jones (6-16): 2.0 IP, 5 hits, 8 runs, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts
On Deck
Iowa State and Utah will wrap the weekend in Sunday's series-finale. The Utes and Cyclones will face off at noon CT and action will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ralston, Jaiden (10-7)
L: Jones, Shelbee (6-16)
Batting:
2B: Clemons, Jessie 1 ; Allen, Angelina 1 ; Ford, Karlee 1 ; Nosan, Isabelle 1 ; Andrews, McKenna 1
HR: Malott, Sydney 1 ; Ford, Karlee 1
RBI: Johnson, Tatum 1 ; Allen, Angelina 3 ; Malott, Sydney 3 ; Ford, Karlee 6 ; Nosan, Isabelle 2 ; Poole, Tiana 1 ; Andrews, McKenna 2
SF: Allen, Angelina 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Trice, Sereniti 1 ; Clemons, Jessie 3 ; Johnson, Tatum 3 ; Allen, Angelina 2 ; Malott, Sydney 3 ; Ford, Karlee 3 ; Nosan, Isabelle 1 ; Poole, Tiana 1 ; Andrews, McKenna 1
SB: Ford, Karlee 1
Batting:
RBI: Ortiz, Shelbi 2 ; Passi, Shonty 1 ; Nelsen, Kaylah 2 ; Capobianco, Emily 1 ; White, Hailee 1
SH: Passi, Shonty 1 ; White, Hailee 1 ; Lundberg, Kendall 1
SF: Capobianco, Emily 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ortiz, Shelbi 3 ; Espiau, Marley 1 ; White, Hailee 1 ; Mendez, Rio 1 ; Sakai, Sianni 1
SB: Ortiz, Shelbi 1
HBP: Nelsen, Kaylah 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
2
R
3
H
2
RBI
6
AB
2
R
3
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
3
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballRHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
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