Cyclones Secure Series with Comeback Win Over Houston

Saturday, March 21

Ames, Iowa

1 p.m.

Iowa State

18-10, 2-3

Houston

17-16, 1-7

Houston

Iowa State

Photo by: Iowa State Athletics

Cyclones Secure Series with Comeback Win Over Houston

03.21.2026 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (.pdf)

AMES, Iowa – Being down four runs at two points in the contest didn't faze Iowa State (18-10, 2-3 Big 12) on Saturday, as the Cyclones used a four-run fifth to power past Houston (17-16, 1-7 Big 12) and secure the series win with a 9-7 victory.

The Cyclones found themselves down 4-0 before they could get the second out, but a resilient plate approach helped fuel six runs across the last three innings as ISU came back to claim victory.

For the third-straight game, the Cyclones collected double-figure hits, finishing with 11. Three of ISU's hits went for extra bases, with both Sydney Malott and Karlee Ford going yard. McKenna Andrews had the team's only double. Andrews and Ford were joined by Jessie Clemons and Reagan Bartholomew as Cyclones with multiple hits, while Malott led all players with three RBI.

Four Cyclones saw the circle today, with Ava Mullen and Liv Palumbo seeing action early before Lauren Schurman (9-2) and Jaiden Ralston (2) came in to clean things up. Schurman earned her second win of the series, while Ralston earned her second save of the series. Ralston's ninth career save pushes her into a tie for the most in program history.

Houston's first four batters combined for seven of the team's ten knocks, with Maddie Hartley, Makenna Mitchell, Madox Mitchael and Mandy Esman each ending the day with two hits. Mitchael would finish with a team-high two RBI. Paris Lehman (2-2) picked up the loss in relief.

How it Happened
The Cougars would load the bases with no outs to start the game and would score the first run via bases-loaded walk. An RBI groundout and fielder's choice scored the next two, and an Esman double scored the fourth as Houston claimed an early hold on the game, 4-0.

On the flip side of the first, Malott had ISU's answer. With a Tatum Johnson walk and Bartholomew single representing two base-runners, Malott took the first pitch of her two-out at-bat over the center field fence to trim the deficit to one.

Houston kept attacking, though, scoring a fifth run in the second. A pair of one-out singles started the rally before a Mitchael double scored the fifth run. UH tried to sneak a sixth runner across, but an excellent relay from Clemons to Bartholomew to Ford cut the runner down at the plate and limited the damage.

UH kept its foot on the gas in the third, plating another pair of runs. AN RBI single from Hartley and an RBI fielder's choice from Mitchell put Houston back up four runs, 7-3.

ISU took advantage of a Houston error in the fourth, using its new life to score a fourth run. With runners on first and second, Johnson snuck a ball through the right side of the infield to plate the team's fourth run of the game and trim the deficit to three.

The Cyclone bats helped put up a crooked inning in the fifth, plating four runs. Following an RBI groundout from Ashley Minor, a pinch-hit single up the middle from Hayleigh Oliver tied things up, plating two. Then, with Oliver on second, Andrews drilled a doubled into the left-center gap to give the Cyclones their first lead of the day.

ISU added one more run of insurance in the sixth thanks to Ford's third homer of the season – a solo shot.

Down to their last three outs, ISU put in Ralston, who shut down the Cougar bats as she helped ISU to its first conference series win of the season.

Saturday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Sydney Malott (6), Karlee Ford (3)
Houston: N/A

WP – Lauren Schurman (9-2): 3.1 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout
SV – Jaiden Ralston (2): 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeout
LP – Paris Lehman (2-2): 3.1 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

On Deck
Iowa State returns to the CSC tomorrow, March 22, to take on Houston in the series finale. The Cyclones and Cougars will square off at noon and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.