Cyclones Run-Rule Cougars in Home-Opener

Friday, March 20

Ames, Iowa

4 p.m.

Iowa State

17-10, 1-3

Houston

17-15, 1-6

Houston

Iowa State

Photo by: Wesley Winterink

Cyclones Run-Rule Cougars in Home-Opener

03.20.2026 | Softball

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AMES, Iowa – Home for the first time since May of last season, Iowa State (17-10, 1-3 Big 12) rolled over Houston (17-15, 1-6 Big 12), besting the Cougars by a score of 9-1 in six innings.

The Cyclones took an early 2-0 lead in the third inning and never looked back, as they led wire-to-wire. Three ISU longballs and dominant relief pitching helped fuel ISU to its first conference and home win of the season.

Tatum Johnson had a team-high three RBI, driving in two with a home run and the third with a sacrifice fly. Jessie Clemons, McKenna Andrews, and Karlee Ford all had multi-hit outings, with one of Andrews' knocks being a two-run shot. In her first home game as a Cyclone, Kasey Kane blasted a homer of her own, again of the two-run variety, as she was part of the big day at the plate for ISU.

Lauren Schurman (8-2) got the start in the circle for ISU, going four innings and allowing just one run on four hits. In relief, Jaiden Ralston dealt two scoreless frames, allowing just two hits. Ralston would pick up her first save of the season, giving her eight in her career. Her eight saves are tied for the second-most in program history.

Houston couldn't quite convert with baserunners, as the Cougars stranded nine of them on the afternoon. Mandy Esman was the only UH athlete to collect multiple hits, as Makenna Mitchell had the team's only RBI on a solo shot. Neveah Brown (8-6) got the start, allowing three runs in four and a third innings while collecting four punchouts.

How it Happened
After a scoreless first two frames, which saw two combined hits, ISU broke the scoring seal in the third.

After a three-up, three-down top of the inning, the Cyclones saw Andrews collect a one-out single to put a player on the paths. Eventually, with two outs and Andrews on first, Johnson swung at the first pitch she saw, skying it over the center field fence, and putting ISU up early, 2-0.

Houston had an immediate answer for ISU, as Makenna Mitchell launched a leadoff home run also into center field to trim the Cyclone lead to one.

ISU added some insurance in the fifth, pushing its lead back to two. With Andrews on third and Clemons on second, Johnson skied a fly ball out to left field to allow Andrews to come in on a sac fly and make it 3-1.

Iowa State erupted for six runs in the sixth, four of which came on homers. Kane started things with a two-run blast before Andrews followed up two batters later with a two-run shot of her own. After ISU scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-1, Ford came to the plate with runners on the corners. She promptly sent a single down the left line, scoring the game-winning run and forcing a run-rule victory to take a 1-0 series lead.

Friday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Tatum Johnson (7), Kasey Kane (3), McKenna Andrews (3)
Houston: Makenna Mitchell (13)

WP – Lauren Schurman (8-2): 4.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 1 strikeout
SV – Jaiden Ralston (1): 2.0 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout
LP – Nevaeh Brown (8-6): 41 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts

On Deck
ISU will be back at the CSC tomorrow, March 21, to play game two against Houston in the weekend series. The Cyclones and Cougars will meet at 1 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.