The ISU softball team started its season strong during the weekend. The Cyclones played at home at the Cyclone Invitational and are now 4-0.

In the first game, Iowa State came out with a win of 4-3 against Indiana State. The Cyclones shook off the first game jitters against their second opponent of the day, South Dakota State, with a victory of 3-0.

“The first game I thought we looked little hesitant which is normal for the first game,” said ISU coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler.

Gemeinhardt-Cesler said the top of the lineup was more hesitant during the first game than she would have liked. She expects the players to do a lot of things for the team. She said she is confident in their playing abilities and said it was just first game nerves.

In the second day of the Cyclone Invitational, Iowa State beat South Dakota State 4-1. The Cyclones played Indiana State in a close second game, but came out on top 4-2.

“[The] second game we had a game under our belt and had confidence,” said sophomore infielder Aly Cappaert.

The Cyclones pulled it together with a winning streak this weekend.

Freshman pitcher Katie Johnson had her softball college debut. Gemeinhardt-Cesler was very pleased with Johnson’s performance this weekend.

“All in all I think she did a fantastic job,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “She’s going to continue to get better and better without making major changes.”

Johnson was not the only freshman that came out strong this weekend. Freshman catcher Rachel Hartman did, too.

Hartman, in her first collegiate game at bat, hit a homerun against South Dakota State the first day of the tournament. Gemeinhardt-Cesler said Hartman had a fantastic game.

Hartman hit a second crucial homerun against Indiana State at the bottom of the fifth in the second day. She gave the Cyclones a lead that Indiana could not keep up with.

Gemeinhardt-Cesler said Hartman would become even more comfortable with the field and continues to grow as a player.

There is plenty of time left in the season for the Cyclones to keep showing what they have. They go on the road to the Troy Cox Classic in New Mexico this coming weekend.

“I think we worked through a lot of things and we initially came out on top. If we keep doing the things that we’re doing, we’re going to do great in season,” Hartman said.