OXFORD, Miss. – Iowa State kicked off its final non-conference tournament of the weekend Friday afternoon in its first two games of the Rebel Invitational. The Cyclones (11-12, 1-2 Big 12) started the day with a one-run win over Samford (18-11, 0-0 SoCon), defeating the Bulldogs 5-4. ISU then fell to North Dakota State (13-15, 0-0 Summit) in the second contest, 8-6, in nine innings.

In game one, McKenna Andrews recorded a career-best four RBI as she helped the Cyclones down the Bulldogs. Game two featured the longest game of the season (innings-wise) for the Cyclones, as they fell to the Bison after committing four errors and leaving 12 on base.

Iowa State opened up the 2025 Rebel Invitational with a win, downing the Samford Bulldogs by a score of 5-4. After falling into an early one-run hole, Iowa State used a four-run fourth and a career day at the plate from McKenna Andrews to earn its eleventh win of the season.

As mentioned, Andrews had an outstanding day for the Cyclones. She recorded a career-high four RBI on two hits – one of which was her first career homer. Tatum Johnson had the team’s remaining RBI, as she had a home run of her own. Sereniti Trice, Sydney Malott, Johnson and Andrews all finished with two hits.

Abby Huhn made her fourth start of the season for the Cyclones, pitching three innings of action where she allowed two runs on two hits. Jaiden Ralston (3-4) relieved Huhn, giving up two runs in 1.1 innings of work. Lauren Schurman (1) closed things out for ISU, allowing just one hit in the final 2.2 innings.

How it Happened
ISU stranded a pair in each of the first two frames, as the game sat scoreless until the third. The Bulldogs would break the stalemate, placing one on the board as they used three singles to score the first run.

Down 1-0, ISU took off in the fourth, plating four runs. Tatum Johnson led off the frame with an eight-pitch at-bat that ended in her third homer of the season – a towering shot to right center field. An Ashley Minor single and Maddie Knowles walk later, and the Cyclones had two on with no outs. Andrews would step into the box and launch her first career home run over the left field fence to plate both and give ISU a 4-1 lead.

Samford got back within one in the bottom of the inning. A leadoff double was followed by a single to put runners on the corners. With two outs, Joi Hubbard doubled into left center to plate both and make it 4-3.

The Cyclones extended their lead to two in the top of the fifth, again thanks to the bat of McKenna Andrews. With runners on second and third with two outs, the junior singled to third base, scoring one to make it 5-3.

Samford led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo blast to make it 5-4, but that was as close as the Bulldogs got, as Lauren Schurman would enter and close things out for the Cyclones, earning her first career save.