ISU Drops Finale Against Baylor

Saturday, March 7

Waco, Texas

5 p.m.

Iowa State

13-9, 0-3

Baylor

17-6, 3-0

Iowa State

Baylor

Photo by: Iowa State Athletics

03.08.2026 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (.pdf)

WACO, Texas – In a game that ended more than 20 hours after it began, Iowa State (13-9, 0-3 Big 12) fell to Baylor (17-6, 3-0 Big 12) by a score of 5-4.

The Cyclones and Bears began the final game of the three-game series yesterday, March 7, at 5 pm, but saw action suspended in the bottom of the third inning due to lightning. After an 18-hour break, the two teams went back to battle.

With ISU trailing 4-0, and all four runs being scored on Saturday, the Cyclones used the rest to spark a four-run fifth inning to tie things up and force an all-new ballgame. Neither team would score in the sixth before the Bears walked things off in the seventh.

Hayleigh Oliver and Reagan Bartholomew each had a pair of knocks, with both of Oliver's going for extra bases, to lead the team. McKenna Andrews hit her first homer of the season in the loss, accounting for three RBI. Ava Mullen picked up the loss in relief but had a solid showing, regardless, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing one unearned run on three hits.

Baylor's top of the order did the heavy lifting, as Brooklyn Carter, Amber Toven and Karynton Dawson combined for five of the team's seven hits and three of the team's runs. Cambree Creager was excellent in relief, allowing just two hits in 2.1 innings as she struck out five.

How it Happened
Action got started Saturday, with Baylor getting on the board first. After the Cyclones stranded a pair in the top of the first, the Bears plated two in the bottom half using a pair of extra-base hits to do so.

After ISU went three-up, three-down in the top of the second, Baylor added two more in the bottom using a pair of singles to drive in some free passes to take a 4-0 lead.

The Cyclones were again scoreless in the top of the third, and with one out in the bottom of the third, the game was suspended for lightning at 6:07 pm.

Once action resumed on Sunday at 12:05 pm, the Cyclones looked like a different team. ISU completed a three-up, three-down inning in the third and forced another in the fourth before getting on the board in the fifth.

The fifth frame started with a Kasey Kane walk before Hayleigh Oliver cranked a double to put a pair of runners in scoring position. A three-run shot from McKenna Andrews would follow, and ISU found itself down just one. A two-out double from Reagan Bartholomew kept the run going and forced a Baylor pitching change. Karlee Ford, the first batter Creager would face, ran the count full before blasting a double into left-center to score Bartholomew and tie things up.

The game would eventually enter the seventh, still knotted at four. ISU couldn't get anything going at the plate in the top half as the frame flipped to the Baylor bats. With one out, Carter singled into left. She would advance on a routine groundout by the next Bear and eventually score on an errant throw to earn the sweep.

Saturday/Sunday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: McKenna Andrews (1)
Baylor: N/A

WP – Cambree Creager (6-2): 2.1 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Ava Mullen (3-3): 4.2 IP, 3 hits, 1 run (0 earned), 1 walk, 0 strikeouts

On Deck
The Cyclones will have their "bye week" next weekend, stepping out of conference play to head to a tournament hosted by Mizzou. ISU will play three contests against Missouri, South Dakota and Minnesota with action starting on Friday.