Cyclone Bats Stymied on Day One in Waco

Friday, March 6

Waco, Texas

1 p.m.

Iowa State

13-7, 0-1

Baylor

15-6, 1-0

Iowa State

Baylor

Photo by: Iowa State Athletics

Cyclone Bats Stymied on Day One in Waco

03.06.2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 G1 Box Score (.pdf)G2 Box Score (.pdf)

WACO, Texas – Iowa State's (13-8, 0-2 Big 12) prolific bats were stymied by stellar pitching from Baylor (16-6, 2-0 Big 12) on Friday, as ISU dropped both parts of a doubleheader to the Bears on the first day of Big 12 softball.

A relentless first four frames from the Bears in game one proved too tall a task for ISU, as the Cyclones found themselves in an eight-run deficit through just four innings. The Cyclones would avoid a run-rule loss, but couldn't come closer, losing 8-1.

One bad inning doomed ISU in game two, as Baylor plated four unanswered runs in the fourth to earn the win. The Cyclones were unable to overcome the two-run deficit, falling 4-2. ISU was limited to just 10 hits between the two contests.

Baylor 8, Iowa State 1
Iowa State fell behind early in game one and never recovered, as Baylor threw the first punch and controlled the game throughout. The Cyclones, who averaged 9.8 hits per game, were limited to just six in the loss.

Five Cyclones collected knocks in game one, with Jessie Clemons being the lone player to have multiple, with two. Tatum Johnson had the team's only RBI, as she mashed her team-leading fifth homer of the season.

For Baylor, three players had multi-hit outings, with Karynton Dawson leading the way with three RBI on her two hits. Cambree Creager tossed five frames, striking out four in the win.

How it Happened
While ISU went three-up, three-down in the top of the first, Baylor got on the board in the bottom of the frame. A leadoff single was doubled in, and another run would later come across on a fielder's choice.

Already leading 2-0, the Bears added a third run in the second. With runners on first and second with two outs, Amber Toven singled down the left line to plate run number three for BU.

Baylor would add three more runs in the third and two in the fourth as it would go on to start conference play 1-0.

Friday G1 Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Tatum Johnson (5)
Baylor: Karynton Dawson (2)

WP – Cambree Creager (5-2): 5.0 IP, 5 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Ava Mullen (2-2): 3.0 IP, 7 hits, 6 runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts

Baylor 4, Iowa State 2
Unlike game one, ISU struck first in game two, going up 2-0, but four unanswered runs in the fourth inning lifted Baylor to a series win in Friday's game two.

The Cyclones scattered four hits across four players, with both Karlee Ford and Sydney Malott earning RBI. Lauren Schurman pitched six innings, allowing one run on seven hits.

Brooklyn Carter and Olivia Buettner each had two hits for the Bears, while four others picked up a knock. Peyton Tanner went the distance in the win, fanning five and allowing just two runs on four hits.

How it Happened
Iowa State started hot in the first game, using some quality two-out at-bats. Back-to-back walks from Ford and Bartholomew put ISU in business with Malott up to bat. Malott took the fourth pitch she saw into left field to score a run and put the Cyclones up, 1-0.

With neither team scoring in the second, attention turned to the third. A one-out double from Tatum Johnson set the table for Karlee Ford two batters later. Ford stepped into the box with two outs and sent a double of her own to right field to score Johnson and make it 2-0.

After an ISU pitching change in the fourth, Baylor started to find a bit of a groove. The Bears took advantage of the change, loading the bases with no outs, and eventually scoring four runs in the frame.

The Cyclones would struggle from there on, as they managed just one base runner in the last three frames (walk) as they would fall to the Bears, 4-2.

Friday G2 Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: N/A
Baylor: N/A

WP – Peyton Tanner (6-2): 7.0 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Liv Palumbo (5-2): 0.0 IP, 1 hit, 3 runs, 2 walks, 0 strikeouts

On Deck
Iowa State is slated to face Baylor tomorrow, March 7, in game three of the series at 2:30 pm. Tomorrow's game is considered fluid, as the weather is threatening in the afternoon.