The Cyclone softball team will travel to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes on May 1, 2013.

Coming off of a two-game sweep against UMKC on April 29, the Cyclones (21-29, 4-11 Big 12) will try to keep their record perfect against teams from the state of Iowa. The team is 1-0 with two games this week against in-state rivals the University of Iowa and Northern Iowa.

Although the Hawkeyes have already clinched the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series for the 2012-13 season, the team knows this game means a lot to ISU athletics.

“I’ve followed the [Cy-Hawk] series a lot growing up and through high school,” said ISU freshman Aly Cappaert, a native of Ankeny, Iowa. “It’s always a game circled on every team’s schedule.”

The Hawkeyes (26-23, 5-15 Big Ten) have had some impressive wins against top-25 teams earlier this spring, but have struggled in the Big Ten Conference. 

Megan Blank leads the Iowa offense with a .450 average, 11 home runs and 58 RBIs. Johnnie Dowling is the team’s biggest stolen base threat, having swiped 17 bags on the season.

ISU freshman Brittany Gomez has continued her own success on the basepath this season. Gomez owns the ISU record with 27 steals on the year, which is also good enough for third in the Big 12 Conference. 

Only four players on the ISU softball team hail from the state of Iowa, but coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler said this is a big game for even the out-of-state players.

“I think when you get here you realize how much it means,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “It’s the Hawks — everyone wants to beat them.”

The Cyclones are 39-34-1 all-time against the Hawkeyes. The teams split meetings in 2012 with each team winning at home. 

“We’ve got to forget about Monday’s games and move on like we are 0-0,” said sophomore shortstop Lexi Slater. “It’s a big game, but we’re going to play it like it is just another one.”

Erica Miller became the first Cyclone ever to post 50 RBIs in a season on April 29 with a sac fly in the day’s first game.

First pitch is slated for 6:30 pm on May 1 at Bob Pearl Field in Iowa City, Iowa.