—Photo courtesy of University of Iowa Athletics iowa’s jalen adams throws a pitch against Iowa State on Tuesday in Iowa City. The Fort Dodge graduate threw a complete game two-hitter.

IOWA CITY — Fort Dodge Senior High graduate Jalen Adams continues to stake her claim as one of the top pitchers in the nation.

The Iowa junior (23-5) picked up her 23rd win of the season with a two-hit shutout against in-state rival Iowa State (28-20 overall). The Hawkeyes (31-17) picked up a 5-0 victory at Bob Pearl Field in the finale of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series on Tuesday.

“Our goal is to always play perfect fundamental defensive softball. Pitching in a way to where we can pick and choose our battles in the lineup and then put together enough runs offensively that we can close the deal,” said Iowa interim coach Karl Gollan. “This was probably our best example this year of doing that, and it’s always nice to do it against an in-state rival.

“It’s a big one for us and I think it’s going to suit us well going into the end of the season.”

Adams is second in the nation in wins, behind Oregon’s Lyndsey Grein (26-1). She is tied for seventh with 18 complete games and eighth with innings pitched (180.1).

Adams allowed no runs on two hits and struck out seven Cyclone hitters. Sophomore Jaylee Ojo delivered the big hit for Iowa with a pinch hit grand slam in the sixth inning.

Adams allowed a leadoff infield single to start the game and then a walk in the second inning. After that, she retired 14 straight Iowa State hitters until allowing a two-out single in the seventh.

The Hawkeyes took the lead, 1-0, in the bottom of the third. Senior Tatianna Roman reached on a one-out walk and got herself into scoring position after a single from Jena Young and a passed ball. Roman came home on a sacrifice fly from Fort Dodge graduate Tory Bennett to open the scoring.

Offense was at a premium for both teams until Iowa loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth. After the Cyclones recorded the second out, Ojo came to the plate and launched a full count pitch to straight away center field to give Iowa a commanding, 5-0, lead.

Adams closed out the game in the seventh to secure the win for the Hawkeyes. She has the most wins by any Iowa pitcher since 2009.

Iowa, which beat the Cyclones for the first time since 2017, finished the game with five runs on five hits. Iowa State had no runs on two hits.