PRIMER: Iowa State vs. Drake

Who: Iowa State (19-10, 3-3 Big 12) vs. Drake (7-18, 1-5 MVC)

Where: Cyclone Softball Complex (2,000) – Ames, Iowa

When: March 25 – 4 p.m.

Leading Off
Winners of six of the last seven outings, Iowa State will close a four-game homestand on Wednesday as it hosts Drake. The Cyclones will look to carry the weekend momentum into the afternoon contest and move to 2-0 in midweek games on the year.

The Cyclones enter the midweek having gone 4-0 this past week and sweeping Houston at the CSC over the weekend. ISU's 3-0 start at home is the best start at the Cyclone Sports Complex since 2013.

Drake is looking to make it two in a row, as it comes to Ames, a game after downing UIC in a series finale. The Bulldogs have dropped five of the last six outings, with all six coming in MVC play.

Game Note: Tomorrow's game is a BLACK OUT, so please wear your favorite black ISU gear. There will also be free pizza given away while supplies last.

Scouting the Cyclones
Iowa State boasts a balanced lineup, as seven Cyclones are batting over .300 through seven weeks of play. Reagan Bartholomew leads the team with a batting average of .444 – good enough for fifth in the conference. Bartholomew is tied with Jessie Clemons for the lead in hits with 40.

Clemons and Bartholomew are also tied in runs scored (28), while Clemons leads the team in doubles (15). Tatum Johnson and Sydney Malott are tied for a squad-best seven home runs, while Johnson leads the team in RBI with 32. Malott is just behind Johnson with 24 RBI of her own.

In the circle, five Cyclones have seen action. Lauren Schurman leads the way with a team-low ERA of 3.08. Schurman has hurled 72.2 innings, a team-high, and owns 41 punchouts, also a team-high. Freshmen Liv Palumbo (5-2) and Hailey Holtz (0-0), senior Jaiden Ralston (1-3), and Michigan State transfer Ava Mullen (3-3) round out the pitchers for ISU.

The Cyclones own a .332 batting average and have produced 205 runs on 266 hits. The team has 103 extra-base hits with 192 RBI and has drawn 116 walks. ISU holds a collective 4.19 ERA and fields the ball at a .975 clip.

Opponent Outlook
Drake's offense is led by five players who bat over .300 and have 20-plus hits. Pearson Hall leads the team with 28 knocks, while Frankie Rite bats a team-high .347. Tatum Aragon leads all Bulldogs with 18 RBI.

The Bulldogs have relied on four primary pitchers in 2026, with Peyton Driscoll hurling a team-high 44.2 innings. Ava Husak holds a team-low ERA of 4.93, while Jayme Scheck has a squad-best 23 strikeouts.

The Bulldogs own a .288 batting average and have produced 105 runs on 195 hits. The team has 66 extra-base hits with 102 RBI and has drawn 78 walks. ISU holds a collective 6.29 ERA and fields the ball at a .966 clip.

Series History
This will be the 116^th all-time meeting between the Cyclones and the Bulldogs and the first in Ames since 2023. ISU leads the all-time series, 82-33, and is 41-10 against Drake at home.

On Deck
Following its four-game homestand, the Cyclones will take to the road for their next contests. ISU will take on No. 2 Texas Tech in Lubbock over the weekend as part of a three-game series. All games between the Cyclones and Red Raiders will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Reagan Bartholomew

Jessie Clemons

Hailey Holtz

Tatum Johnson

Sydney Malott

Ava Mullen

Liv Palumbo

Jaiden Ralston

Lauren Schurman

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics