The ISU softball team travels to Lawrence, Kan., this weekend for a three-game series against Kansas.

The Cyclones (13-28, 1-11 Big 12) split the two-game season series with the Jayhawks (26-15, 3-12 Big 12) in Ames last season.

Iowa State is coming off an exciting walk-off victory against rival Iowa on Wednesday afternoon. ISU junior Erica Miller delivered the clutch single in the bottom of the seventh inning to hand the Cyclones the 4-3 win and snap a four-game losing streak.

“I think overall that we battled throughout the entire game,” said ISU coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler. “What a fun game to watch, it was really exciting.”

Miller finished Wednesday’s game 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. She now ranks sixth in the Big 12 in batting with a .385 average to go along with eight home runs and 26 RBIs this season.

“I feel confident with her at the plate,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said of Miller’s clutch at-bat. “To have our best hitter up at the plate at that point, I’m feeling pretty confident that she’s going to do well.”

Kansas leads the all-time series against Iowa State 45-35. The Jayhawks were swept by Texas at home last weekend.

“Kansas is a very beatable team,” said ISU sophomore Taylor Smith. “We need to start doing that, carrying our wins and keeping them going.”

Kansas ranks eighth in the conference in team pitching with a 3.10 team ERA. Offensively, however, the Jayhawks rank fourth in team batting with a .286 average.

KU junior Maggie Hull has wielded one of the most consistent bats in the Big 12 this season. She currently ranks first in the conference in hits with 53, in doubles with 12, third in batting with a .398 average and sixth in total bases with 85. 

Hull is also one of four players on the Kansas roster batting above .300 this season.

KU sophomore Ashley Newman is 19-for-19 in stolen base attempts this season, good enough for third in the Big 12.

The Jayhawks’ roster has one of the Big 12’s top pitchers, as well. Freshman Alicia Pille ranks third in the conference in shutouts with seven, fifth in strikeouts with 147 and seventh in wins with 13.

Despite the wealth of individual talent on the KU roster, the Jayhawks currently sit at eighth in the Big 12 standings.

“Great momentum, especially coming off from Iowa,” Smith said. “We just need to go to Kansas and pretend they’re Iowa.”

This weekend’s games are slated for 5 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.