Iowa State softball will compete at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., Friday through Sunday. 

The tournament, which is the third of the season for the Cyclones, will be a major step up in competition.

No. 6 UCLA and No. 5 Washington are among the nationally ranked opponents in the six-team field. Iowa State will also play Loyola Marymount, San Diego and California State, Northridge. 

Iowa State is competing at the Mary Nutter Tournament for the first time in school history and prior to competition Friday, Iowa State has played just one other Power Five opponent. Iowa State defeated Nebraska on Feb. 12 by a score of 7-3. 

Washington is 9-0 on the young season with a lone loss to No. 15 Clemson while UCLA is 7-3. The Bruins come off two extra innings losses at its last tournament, both of which came against top-25 teams. 

Iowa State comes off a 4-0 weekend in Washington D.C. where Jamie Pinkerton’s team defeated Quinnipiac, Howard and Coppin State by at least eight runs each game.

With an overall record of 8-1, Iowa State is received 11 votes in the latest USA Today top-25 poll. 

Leading Iowa State’s push for national recognition is senior catcher Mikayla Ramos. Ramos has a team-high six home runs and 18 RBI. The last four games have been particularly productive for Ramos. The All-Big 12 preseason athletes has five home runs in Iowa State’s last four games. Ramos will look to extend a four-game home run hitting streak while in California. 

Ramos, who had 57 RBI last season, is tied for the most RBI of any player in the nation. She’s tied for second nationally in home runs. Ramos leads the team with a 1.200 slugging percentage. 

The extra-base hit has propelled Iowa State past its early season opponents. Iowa State hitters have produced 26 doubles in 2022, which ranks fourth nationally. Eleven Iowa State batters have an extra base hit of some kind after nine games of play.  

Junior Ellie Spelhaug has a team-low ERA at 1.29. Spelhaug and her teammate Karli Charles have shared the primary role in the circle so far in 2022. Both Spelhaug and Charles have pitched 16.1 innings.

Sophomore Saya Swain is in the beginning stages of what could become a breakout season in the circle. Swain has 26 strikeouts in just 14 innings of work. Swain is the only member of Iowa State’s staff with three wins already. In her freshman season, Swain ended the year with a pitching record of one win and five losses. 

Friday’s tournament begins for the Cyclones at 7:30 p.m. against the highly ranked Bruins. The Cyclones will then have to complete a double header against California State, Northridge. 

On Saturday, San Diego will take on Iowa State at 2 p.m., then Loyola Marymount will face the Cyclones at 9:30 p.m.

To complete the Mary Nutter Classic, Iowa State meets Washington at 11 a.m. on Sunday.