The Iowa State softball team caught the Creighton Bluejays (12-17, 4-2 Big East) off balance, picking up a 6-2 victory.
The Cyclone’s victory marks their first midweek contest of the season, improving to (16-10, 0-3 Big 12).
Stalemate through the first two innings
Freshman Olivia Palumbo took the mound for Iowa State, squaring off against Brooklyn Patchen, who has the lowest earned run average (ERA) on Creighton.
The game opened scoreless through two innings until the Cyclones struck first.
Even with the Cyclones getting two on base in the first and one on in the second, the Bluejays shut them down for no runs.
Palumbo shut down Creighton with back-to-back one-two-three innings.
Senior Reagan Bartholomew’s solo shot put Iowa State on the board first in the top half of the third inning.
Cyclones profit from shifty pitching
Iowa State answered as Sydney Malott hit a home run to center field to even the score at two.
Junior Lauren Schurman took over the pitching duties from the fourth inning onward and was fabulous all day long.
Creighton made a pitching change as well, pulling its starter after one out in the sixth frame, but the same could not be said for the Jays.
Ava Drehs entered the game and surrendered four runs across a little over an inning.
Bartholomew added another RBI after a single to score leadoff hitter Jessie Clemons to take the lead.
Iowa State breaks the dam
In the fifth inning, Iowa State exploded for four runs on five hits and one walk.
Malott came through again, this time with a single through the left side to score Bartholomew and move sophomore Karlee Ford to third.
A batter later, Kadence Shepherd singled up the middle and scored both runners in scoring position.
Cyclones lights out in the circle
Palumbo got the start in the circle, pitching the first three innings and allowing just two runs on three hits.
Schurman picked up her seventh win, finishing the next four innings dealing, allowing no runs, no hits and two strikeouts. Neither of the two allowed a walk in the win.
The Cyclones shut down the rest of the game and prevailed 6-2 over the Jays.
What’s next
Iowa State resumes Big 12 play with a three-game home series against Houston.
The three-game series will start with game one scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m. All three contests will be streamed on ESPN+.
