After completing their best season since 1989, which saw them go 32-23 (7-11 Big 12) in the regular season, the Iowa State softball team has earned a bid in the National Invitational Softball Tournament (NISC) and will host an opening round regional.

This is the first time that the Cyclones have made a postseason tournament since 1988.

In the Iowa State region will be the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, the Purdue Boilermakers, the South Dakota Coyotes and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.

The Cyclones are 32-23 (7-11 Big 12), the Colonels are 34-20 (16-6 Ohio Valley), the Boilermakers are 31-27 (11-13 Big Ten), the Coyotes are 33-26 (12-6 Summit) and have lost to the Cyclones twice this season. The Jackrabbits are 36-17 (11-7 Summit).

South Dakota and Purdue will be the first matchup at noon on Thursday followed by a game between Eastern Kentucky and South Dakota State at 1 p.m. 

Iowa State will face the winner of South Dakota and Purdue at 4 p.m. at Cyclone Sports Complex on Thursday.

Here is the schedule for the regional:

The tournament is a double-elimination tournament.

The winner of the regional will head to Fort Collins, Colorado, from May 24-26 for the championship round of the NISC.

Editor’s Note: The updated game schedule has been added to the original story.