Cyclones Fall in Game One to No. 22 UCF

Friday, May 1

Ames, Iowa

4 p.m.

Iowa State

31-22, 8-14

UCF

37-14-1, 13-8-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UCF	4	2	1	1	0	0	0	8	12	0
Iowa State	0	0	4	0	1	0	0	5	5	0

Photo by: Wesley Winterink

Cyclones Fall in Game One to No. 22 UCF

05.01.2026 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (.pdf)

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (31-22, 8-14 Big 12) was unable to grab its third series-opening win on Friday, falling to No. 22 UCF (37-14-1, 13-8-1 Big 12) by a score of 8-5.

UCF started strong, scoring four in the first, and holding on to eventually claim a three-run victory to open the series. A Knight grand slam in the opening frame paced the offense, while Isabella Vega tossed a complete game in the circle.

Tatum Johnson led the Cyclones with three RBI, collecting all on her 12th homer of the season. Johnson was joined by Jessie Clemons, Reagan Bartholomew and Kadence Shepherd as Cyclones who had hits on the day. ISU was limited to just five hits in the loss.

Jaiden Ralston (5-7) got the start for Iowa State before Hailey Holtz came in for middle relief. Holtz handled 3.1 innings and fanned one. Lauren Schurman saw the circle last, handling 1.2 frames and punching out three.

Three Knights recorded a pair of hits, tying for the team lead. Sierra Humphreys led all players with four RBI, all coming on her first-inning grand slam. Aubrey Evans and Kendall Yarnell joined Humphreys with multiple hits. Vega would fan eight in her complete-game win.

How it Happened
Back-to-back singles and a one-out walk loaded the bases for UCF to kick things off in the first. On the second pitch she saw, Humphreys blasted her 12th home run of the year to put the Knights up 4-0 early.

UCF extended its lead in the second, again using the long ball. After batting around in the first, Evans again opened up the frame with a single to put the Knights in business. Two outs later, Izzy Mertes homered to left field to extend the Knight lead to 6-0.

The Knights added a seventh run in the third, again using a pair of leadoff singles to put runners in the corners. With two on and two out, Samantha Rey singled into right field, plating one, and making it a 7-0 contest.

After seeing the first seven batters retired, Iowa State's offense came alive in the third. A one-out bunt single from Poole kicked things off for the Cyclones. A McKenna Andrews walk later put two on and brought up Clemons and the top of the order. Clemons would then slice her 23^rd double of the year to left center, plating Poole and putting ISU on the board. One batter later, Johnson stepped into the box and tattooed a ball over the right field fence, trimming the UCF lead to three, 7-4.

The Knights added an insurance run in the top of the fourth, using a solo shot from Beth Damon to pull ahead, 8-4.

ISU would score one more run in the fifth, using some two-out hitting to do the trick. With both Johnson and Bartholomew on, Shepherd singled through the right side to again make it a three-run game.

Iowa State's final six batters were retired in order, as the Cyclones couldn't muster a late rally, falling to the top-25 Knights.

Friday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Tatum Johnson (12)
UCF: Sierra Humphreys (12), Izzy Mertes (11), Beth Damon (13)

WP – Isabella Vega (17-7): 7.0 IP, 5 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Jaiden Ralston (5-7): 2.0 IP, 6 hits, 6 runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout

On Deck
The Cyclones will look to even the series against the Knights tomorrow at 1 pm. Saturday's contest will be streamed live on ESPN+ and admission, as always, is FREE.