Completed Event: Softball versus Wisconsin on February 13, 2026 , Loss , 1, to, 5
Final
Softball
1
Wisconsin
5
Iowa State University Athletics
Sunday, February 15
Arlington, Texas
9 a.m.
Iowa State
5-4
8
vs
11
Wisconsin
7-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Iowa State
0
1
3
3
0
1
0
8
9
2
Wisconsin
10
0
1
0
0
0
X
11
10
1
Photo by: Wisconsin Athletics / Ashley Steltenpohl
Cyclone Comeback Falls Short Against Wisconsin
02.15.2026 | Softball
ARLINGTON, Texas – A ten-run deficit proved too tall a task for Iowa State (5-4) to overcome Sunday morning, as it fell short of a comeback effort against Wisconsin (7-2), eventually falling 11-8 in the finale of the Dream City Invitational.
Wisconsin exploded for ten runs in the first frame, but ISU slowly chipped away at the lead, drawing closer by the inning. The Cyclones would trim the deficit as low as three runs by the sixth frame, but would not get any closer.
Tatum Johnson and Sydney Malott each had multi-hit outings as well as home runs on the day. Jessie Clemons and Kadence Shepherd joined the home run parade for ISU. Malott had a team-best three RBI, while Reagan Bartholomew drew a pair of walks.
Liv Palumbo (1-1) started in the circle for the Cyclones before being quickly replaced by Lauren Schurman, who hurled four innings of relief, allowing just one earned run. Ava Mullen closed things out, throwing one and two-thirds hitless innings.
For Wisconsin, Emily Bojan led the team with three knocks, driving in one run on a solo shot. Hilary Blomberg had a grand slam, scoring four, while Alivia Bark had a pair of RBI. Shelby Jacobson (3-0) got the win in relief as she had a team-high two strikeouts.
How it Happened
After holding the ISU bats in check in the top of the first, the Wisconsin offense got busy in the bottom of the frame, plating ten runs to take an early 10-0 lead. In total, the Badgers had an RBI double, a two-RBI single, a sac fly RBI, a grand slam, and also took advantage of a pair of Cyclone errors.
ISU plated one in the second, as Malott and Karlee Ford each reached to put a pair on. With two outs, Andrews blooped one down the left line, and Wisconsin was unable to handle it as the error allowed a run to come across.
The Cyclones added three more in the third. With runners on first and second with an out, Malott blasted a ball over the left field fence to make it a six-run game as the score stood at 10-4.
A solo shot from the Badgers in the bottom of the third pushed the deficit back to seven.
Iowa State scored three more in the fourth, again using the long ball to power the attack. With two outs, Johnson sent a solo shot over the left field fence. Immediately after, Bartholomew drew a walk to bring up Shepherd. Shepherd promptly crushed her second home run of the weekend, over the left field fence, to make it 11-7.
Following a scoreless fifth, ISU added one final run in the sixth, a solo shot from Clemons, but wouldn't come any closer and fell to the Badgers by three runs.
Sunday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Sydney Malott (3), Tatum Johnson (2), Kadence Shepherd (3), Jessie Clemons (1)
Wisconsin: Hilary Blomberg (3), Emily Bojan (2)
WP – Shelby Jacobson (3-0): 2.1 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
SV – Berritt Herr (1): 1.0 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts
LP – Liv Palumbo (1-1): 0.1 IP, 4 hits, 8 runs (4 earned), 2 walks, 0 strikeouts
On Deck
The Cyclones will be back in action next weekend when they head to Minneapolis to compete in the Gopher Indoor Classic. There, the Cyclones will face Western Michigan, Minnesota, LIU and North Dakota State.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jacobson, Shelby (3-0)
L: Palumbo, Liv (1-1)
S: Herr, Berritt (1)
Batting:
2B: Kane, Kasey 1
HR: Clemons, Jessie 1 ; Johnson, Tatum 1 ; Shepherd, Kadence 1 ; Malott, Sydney 1
RBI: Clemons, Jessie 1 ; Johnson, Tatum 1 ; Shepherd, Kadence 2 ; Malott, Sydney 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Clemons, Jessie 1 ; Johnson, Tatum 2 ; Bartholomew, Reagan 1 ; Shepherd, Kadence 2 ; Malott, Sydney 2
HBP: Malott, Sydney 1
Batting:
2B: Lewis, Kendra 1
HR: Bojan, Emily 1 ; Blomberg, Hilary 1
RBI: Bojan, Emily 1 ; Blomberg, Hilary 4 ; Lewis, Kendra 1 ; Bark, Alivia 2 ; Lucey, Danielle 1
SH: Lucey, Danielle 1
SF: Lucey, Danielle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bojan, Emily 3 ; Blomberg, Hilary 2 ; Lewis, Kendra 1 ; Showalter, Jackie 1 ; Bark, Alivia 1 ; King, Emma 1 ; Foster, Makenzie 1 ; Conger, Hannah 1
SB: Showalter, Jackie 1 ; Bark, Alivia 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballUTL
/ Softball
C/OF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
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