While there is snow on the ground and 15-degree temperatures outside the last thing some would think of is a softball tournament in Ames this weekend. The Cyclone Invitational was an indoor tournament played at Bergstrom indoor facility on Saturday and Sunday.

Bergstrom Football Complex is the Cyclones indoor football practice facility. The Iowa State softball team has been practicing inside here recently because of all the cold weather.

“We’ve been practicing here for a month now. We know what bounces it (softball) is going to take,” said sophomore infielder Aly Cappaert.

Softball is not just played on dirt outside. It can be played inside on a football turf field as well.

“Turf as an infielder is really nice because you know you’re going to get the same hop. With the dirt it could hit a rock and go any which way,” Cappaert said.

Another difference playing inside and outside is the lighting. Cappaert continued on saying the lighting indoors can be difficult to see the softball. The natural light is easier to see the softball flying in the air.

There were a few minor set backs this weekend during the tournament. In the outfield, the fence that was temporarily placed fell down. The game was paused to place it back together.

Iowa State was not too shaken up about the ordeal. The Cyclones were laughing while the outfielders were putting the fence back together midway into one of Cyclone’s games.

“You have to expect things to happen like injury timeouts and everything and just go from there,” said Cappaert.

Freshman Rachel Hartman does not believe they had a home field advantage. She said that the other teams had played a game before Cyclones so if anything they had advantage playing Iowa State for the first time.

“There’s not really an advantage to a home field. You just got to play the game of softball,” said Hartman.

The Cyclones will be on the road for the next couple weeks and not have to worry about the fence falling down or having to play indoors on turf. Even though Iowa State has become very comfortable with the turf.

“Once you get used to something it’s just there. It’s just a field that you play on,” Hartman said.