The Iowa State softball team capped off its fall slate Saturday with a 12-3 win over Minnesota before dropping a tight 7-6 game to North Dakota State in a doubleheader at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
The first game against Minnesota was a showcase of how quickly the Cyclones can take control when all three phases click.
Iowa State jumped on the Gophers early and never looked back, closing things out by run rule. The second game against NDSU had a different tone, as the Cyclones shuffled the lineup and leaned on younger players in new roles.
That test ended in a narrow one-run loss, giving the staff valuable looks at depth pieces.
“We’ve looked good at times and we’ve looked bad at times,” Iowa State Head Coach Jamie Pinkerton said. “But that’s what this time of year is about. It’s about giving players opportunities, learning from mistakes and figuring out where we need to get better.”
Fall recap
The two games in Minneapolis closed the book on a fall campaign that saw Iowa State mix dominant stretches with learning moments.
From the 22-0 offensive explosion against Iowa Central, to the 21-6 rout of UNI with four home runs, to walk-off dramatics against Drake, the Cyclones found different ways to win and kept putting new faces in big spots.
“Play tired and figure out how to fight through it,” Pinkerton said.
Iowa State responded with both highs and lows; by testing its depth, leaning on veteran bats like sophomore Jessie Clemons and senior Tatum Johnson and finding growth from players such as sophomore Hayleigh Oliver and senior McKenna Andrews.
By the end of the schedule, the Cyclones had played 10 games against a mix of junior colleges, in-state rivals and Power Five competition, providing Pinkerton and his staff with plenty of film and insight heading into the winter.
What’s next
Pinkerton told Iowa State’s sports information staff that the fall overall was a success. He felt the Cyclones had stretches where they played well in all three facets: hitting, pitching and defense, but also stretches where they didn’t.
The key takeaway, Pinkerton said, is that the fall provided a “blueprint” for what needs to be addressed before February.
With newcomers tested in multiple roles and lineup flexibility showing promise, Iowa State heads into the offseason with clarity on its strengths and the adjustments needed.
The next time the Cyclones take the field, it will be with the goal of turning those fall lessons into spring results when the 2026 season begins.
