AMES – After a rollercoaster nine innings, Iowa State found a way to finish strong. Senior Tatum Johnson delivered a walk-off single in the ninth, lifting the Cyclones to a 9-7 win over Drake University in their final home game of the fall Friday at the Cyclone Sports Complex.
The Cyclones looked in control early, building a 7-1 lead after three innings. Back-to-back three-run frames set the tone, capped by sophomore Hayleigh Oliver’s three-run homer in the second.
But the offense cooled off. Over the next six innings, Iowa State was held scoreless while Drake chipped away. The Bulldogs scored twice in the fifth off freshman Olivia Palumbo and tied the game in the seventh against junior Lauren Schurman.
Iowa State head coach Jamie Pinkerton said the team has to handle those stretches better.
“We got off to a good start, but then we went into a lull,” Pinkerton said. “We could have been better with adjustments. Their pitcher got in a rhythm, and we didn’t do enough until late.”
Senior Jaiden Ralston settled things down, tossing two scoreless innings to give the Cyclones a chance. Then, with daylight fading, the bats woke back up.
Sophomore Karlee Ford led off the ninth with a walk, and Oliver, after missing on two bunt attempts, was hit by a pitch to keep the rally alive.
Sophomore Jessie Clemons battled through an eight-pitch at-bat before lining a single to load the bases. That set the stage for Johnson, who wasted no time. On the first pitch, she roped a single down the right field line to bring in two runs and ended it.
Johnson said her approach was simple.
“I just knew in that last inning I needed to keep it simple,” Johnson said. “Anything through the infield was going to score the runner on third. I just tried to do what I could to help my team.”
For Oliver, the day marked a breakthrough after a tough 2024 season.
“Last year I struggled a lot, and I used to hit for power all the time,” Oliver said. “Getting that home run felt really good, and just being able to keep the inning alive late meant a lot.”
Pinkerton praised both players for their impact.
“[Oliver] has been working hard, and it was good to see her rewarded for that,” Pinkerton said. “And with [Johnson], it’s great having her back. When we got the bases loaded with Clemons, Johnson and Andrews coming up, we knew we were in position to make something happen.”
With the win, Iowa State closed its fall home slate on a high note. The Cyclones will now head to Cedar Falls for the rest of the Big 4 Classic, facing UNI at 11 a.m. Saturday, then Iowa at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
