Tatum Johnson, a 22-year-old softball player, was gearing up to bat at the intense Iowa State University versus Arizona State University game held at the Cyclone Sports Complex on March 28, 2025.
The game was a Big 12 quarterfinal matchup between the No. 3 seed Iowa State and the No. 6 seed BYU. Iowa State managed to secure a 4-2 victory over BYU, advancing them to the semifinals on Friday. The win brought the Cyclones’ season record to 31-22 and extended their winning streak to three games.
BYU struck first in the game, scoring two runs with a home run in the second inning. However, Iowa State quickly responded in the third inning, cutting the lead in half after freshman Jessie Clemons got on base and freshman Karlee Ford hit a ground ball that resulted in an error.
The Cyclones then took the lead in the fourth inning with a two-run home run by junior McKenna Andrews. Momentum shifted entirely when junior Tatum Johnson added another run with a solo home run in the fifth inning, giving Iowa State a 4-2 lead.
The Cyclones’ offense performed well, collecting seven hits, walking twice, and striking out four times. Andrews and Johnson both had two-hit performances with home runs, while Ford contributed with an RBI in the third inning. Iowa State stranded five runners but capitalized on BYU’s defensive error.
Junior Jaiden Ralston pitched a stellar game for Iowa State, delivering her first career complete game. She went seven innings, faced 29 batters, and allowed six hits, two earned runs, and one walk. Ralston’s strong performance was supported by solid defense from the Cyclones, who committed just one error that did not impact the scoreboard.
With the win over BYU, Iowa State now advances to the semifinals to face No. 2 seed Arizona. The game is scheduled for Friday at 5:30 p.m. Arizona enters the matchup with a 44-10 overall record, coming off a 4-3 comeback win over UCF. Meanwhile, in the other semifinal, No. 1 seed Texas Tech will take on No. 5 seed Arizona State at 3 p.m. Both semifinal games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
As a new graduated journalist, I’m not really sure why this matters, but it seems like Iowa State’s softball team is on fire right now. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like they have a real shot at taking home the championship this year. Let’s see how they fare in the semifinals against Arizona.
