PRIMER: Iowa State at Kansas

Who: Iowa State (27-19, 7-11 Big 12) at Kansas (30-15, 11-7 Big 12)

Where: Arrocha Ballpark (1,100) – Lawrence, Kan.

When: April 24 – 5 pm // April 25 – 2 pm // April 26 – 12 pm

Leading Off
The Cyclones will head to Lawrence for their final conference road trip of the season, as they take on the fourth-place Jayhawks in a three-game set. The Cyclones will play in Lawrence for the first time since 2023 and will aim to earn their third-straight road series win over the Jayhawks. ISU will also look to win its third Big 12 series of the season and second straight.

Iowa State is coming off its first midweek setback of the season, dropping the second part of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series to Iowa at home on Tuesday, 7-2. The usually explosive Cyclone offense was held to just two runs and one RBI in the loss.

The Jayhawks enter the weekend series having last played in Orlando against UCF, dropping their first conference series of the season, 2-1. Kansas has lost three of its last four and will look to right the ship in its Big 12 home series finale.

Scouting the Cyclones
Iowa State's offense is led by senior standout Reagan Bartholomew, who leads the team in batting average (.420), runs (49), hits (60), homers (13) and walks (26). Bartholomew is seventh in the Big 12 in batting average and sixth in hits.

Tatum Johnson and Jessie Clemons are tied for the second-most hits on the team (57) and second-most runs scored (43). Clemons leads the country in doubles with 20, while Johnson leads the team in RBI with 44. Johnson (10), as well as Kadence Shepherd (12), are the only Cyclones outside of Bartholomew with double-figure homers.

In the circle, four Cyclones have seen the majority of action. Lauren Schurman leads the way with a team-low ERA of 4.08. Schurman has hurled 123.2 innings, a team-high, and owns 71 punchouts, also a team-high. Freshman Liv Palumbo (6-3), senior Jaiden Ralston (2-5), and Michigan State transfer Ava Mullen (4-5) round out the staff for ISU.

The Cyclones own a .329 batting average and have produced 320 runs on 408 hits. The team has 161 extra-base hits with 297 RBI and has drawn 185 walks. ISU holds a collective 5.06 ERA and fields the ball at a .971 clip.

Opponent Outlook
Kansas is led offensively by senior Presley Limbaugh who bats a team-best .387 with 55 hits. Freshman standout Ella Boyer leads the team in RBI (52) and home runs (17). KU has seven athletes with at least 100 at-bats, six are batting over .300 and the seventh is just a shade under at .297.

The Jayhawks have had five pitchers make at least 16 appearances on the year, with Kaelee Washington appearing in the most games (22) and throwing the most innings (65). KU's balanced staff features four pitchers who have hurled at least 50 frames.

The Jayhawks own a .339 batting average and have produced 316 runs on 402 hits. The team has 166 extra-base hits with 299 RBI and has drawn 164 walks. Kansas holds a collective 3.55 ERA and fields the ball at a .968 clip.

Series History
Kansas leads the all-time series, 68-52, and the last ten games have been split five apiece. Iowa State has won its last two series in Lawrence, and Coach Pinkerton is 5-2 in series against the Jayhawks. Outside of 2020, when COVID canceled the Big 12 season, the Cyclones and Jayhawks have met every year since 1979.

On Deck
The Cyclones will be back in action on Tuesday, April 28, when they return to the Cyclone Softball Complex to host St. Thomas in a doubleheader. The Cyclones and Tommies will begin action at 1:30 pm and game two will follow. Both contests will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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Players Mentioned

Reagan Bartholomew

Jessie Clemons

Tatum Johnson

Ava Mullen

Liv Palumbo

Jaiden Ralston

Lauren Schurman

Kadence Shepherd

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics