Ford’s Heroics Lift Cyclone to Walk-Off Win Over No. 22 UCF

Saturday, May 2

Ames, Iowa

1 p.m.

Iowa State

32-22, 9-14

UCF

37-15-1, 13-9-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UCF	0	0	2	2	0	0	5	9	13	0
Iowa State	0	0	0	4	4	0	5	13	11	1

Photo by: Iowa State Athletics

Ford’s Heroics Lift Cyclone to Walk-Off Win Over No. 22 UCF

05.02.2026 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (.pdf)

AMES, Iowa – With its postseason on the line, Iowa State (32-2, 9-14 Big 12) earned its third ranked victory of the season in dramatic fashion, walking off No. 22 UCF in the bottom of the seventh to win, 13-9.

The Cyclones trailed the Knights, 4-0, through 3.5 innings before plating eight between the fourth and the fifth to take an 8-4 advantage. UCF stole the momentum back with a five-run top of the seventh to take a one-run, 9-8, lead. ISU, down to its final out in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded, saw sophomore Karlee Ford launch a walk-off grand slam over the right field fence to win the game.

For the Cyclones to qualify for the Big 12 Tournament, Iowa State must win tomorrow, and Utah would need to fall to No. 19 Arizona. A Utah win against the Wildcats eliminates the Cyclones from a top-eight finish, as does an ISU loss.

The aforementioned Ford was the hero of the game, as she drove in five in her second-career multi-homer game. Ford's two hits were tied with those of both Tatum Johnson and Sydney Malott for the team lead. Malott, like Ford, had a homer and drove in two. Also, plating a pair was Jessie Clemons. Both Ford and McKenna Andrews tied for a team-best with two walks.

Liv Palumbo got the start for ISU, handing the first three frames and allowing three runs. Lauren Schurman handled middle relief, striking out three in her three innings of action. Jaiden Ralston handled the final three outs, allowing no runs on no hits to secure the win.

Four Knights finished with a pair of hits, as UCF had 13 hits to outpace the Cyclones. Leadoff batter Aubrey Evans led the team in RBI with three, while Ashleigh Griffin plated two. Five Knights saw the circle, but it was ultimately Isabella Vega who picked up the loss as she attempted to close things out in the seventh.

How it Happened
Neither side scored through the first two frames, with UCF breaking the ice in the third. The Knights put two aboard via walk and, with two outs, Izzy Mertes belted a singled into left center to plate one and start the scoring. The next batter, Sierra Humphreys, sliced a single of her own through the right side to score another, putting UCF up 2-0.

The Knights extended their lead in the fourth, using three knocks to drive in a pair. With runners on the corners and just one out, Aubrey Evans doubled into right-center to clear the bases and make it a 4-0 advantage for UCF.

ISU struck back in the fourth, finally getting on the board. The Cyclones, hitless until the fourth, saw Ford lead off the frame with a solo shot. The next two batters, Malott and Victoria Prado, each collected hits to put runners on the corners. With no outs, Ava Wilmes pinch hit and singled into center to score Malott and make it 4-2. Later in the inning, with two outs and runners on second and third, Johnson tripled into left center to clear the bases and knot things up at four-all.

After seeing UCF strand a run at the top of the fifth, the Cyclones pounded out four more runs in the bottom of the fifth. After a one-out walk was drawn by Ford, Malott blasted a homer over the left field fence to put ISU up two. Later in the inning, with two outs and runners on second and third, Jessie Clemons blooped a ball over the first baseman and plated two to put ISU up by four.

A scoreless sixth paved the way for a decisive seventh inning. Trailing by four, the Knights rallied and scored five in the top half to take a one-run lead into the bottom of the seventh.

With its postseason life on the line, ISU buckled down and found a way to win in the bottom of the seventh. With one on and two out, Johnson and Bartholomew drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Kadence Shepherd then stepped to the plate and delivered a clutch infield single to knot the game up at nine-all. With the bases still loaded, Ford struck again, taking Vega for a ride and sealing the comeback win with a walk-off grand slam.

Saturday Notes
Home Runs
Iowa State: Karlee Ford 2(10), Sydney Malott (11)
UCF: N/A

WP – Jaiden Ralston (6-7): 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Isabella Vega (17-8): 0.2 IP, 2 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, 0 strikeouts

On Deck
Iowa State will close out its regular season against No. 22 UCF tomorrow at 11 am. Sunday's contest will be streamed live on ESPN+, and admission, as always, is FREE.

Cyclones Fall in Game One to No. 22 UCF

Friday, May 01

PRIMER: Iowa State vs. No. 22 UCF

Thursday, April 30

Cyclones Down Bulldogs in Des Moines

Wednesday, April 29

Cyclones Sweep St. Thomas in Tuesday Doubleheader

Tuesday, April 28

Next Event

UCF

May 3 (Sun)

11 a.m.

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Ralston, Jaiden (6-7)

L: Isabella Vega (17-8)

UCF

Batting:

2B: Aubrey Evans 1

3B: Kendall Yarnell 1

RBI: Aubrey Evans 3 ; Beth Damon 1 ; Izzy Mertes 1 ; Sierra Humphreys 1 ; Coco Jaimes 1 ; Ashleigh Griffin 2

SF: Aubrey Evans 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Aubrey Evans 1 ; Kendall Yarnell 1 ; Beth Damon 1 ; Taylor Kittleman 1 ; Izzy Mertes 1 ; Sierra Humphreys 1 ; Coco Jaimes 1 ; Shyanne Irvin 1 ; Samantha Rey 1

CS: Sierra Humphreys 1 ; Kalista Birkenstock 1

HBP: Zoe Calvez 1

Iowa State

Batting:

2B: Malott, Sydney 1 ; Andrews, McKenna 1

3B: Johnson, Tatum 1

HR: Ford, Karlee 2 ; Malott, Sydney 1

RBI: Clemons, Jessie 2 ; Johnson, Tatum 2 ; Shepherd, Kadence 1 ; Ford, Karlee 5 ; Malott, Sydney 2 ; Wilmes, Ava 1

SH: Andrews, McKenna 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Clemons, Jessie 1 ; Johnson, Tatum 1 ; Bartholomew, Reagan 1 ; Shepherd, Kadence 1 ; Ford, Karlee 3 ; Malott, Sydney 2 ; Prado, Victoria 2 ; Oliver, Hayleigh 1 ; Andrews, McKenna 1