The Cyclone softball team is back in Ames preparing for its home opener against Creighton on Tuesday at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

A four-day trip to the Louisville Slugger Classic in Stanford, Calif. ended with the Cyclones playing no games — all the games were rained out — and needing an unexpected bus ride from Denver just to get back home.

“We were all really bummed,” said Erica Miller, one of five Cyclone players originally from California. “We went out to California thinking we were going to have beautiful weather, and some of us even had family there. Hopefully, we can bounce back against Creighton.”

Coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler pointed out that perhaps, despite the cancelled games, a postponed flight in San Jose, Calif., resulting in a missed flight out of Denver, and the eventual decision to take a bus, there was a silver lining.

“Some people have been banged up, so there is some good to come out of the rest, but it’s not ideal.” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said, adding that some of the California natives on her squad got to spend some extra time with family.

Tuesday’s doubleheader will not be the first time the Cyclones face Creighton this season. On Feb. 11, the Bluejays came to town to take part in the Cyclone Indoor Invitational at the Bergstrom Indoor Practice Facility.

In the first meeting, a 7-0 ISU victory, Cyclone ace Rachel Zabriskie (8-4) put on a dominating 13-strikeout performance, giving up no runs on just two hits. Her 13 strikeouts tied the all-time single game ISU record.

Zabriskie is now just 42 strikeouts shy of joining the top 10 strikeout leaders in Big 12 history.

Despite the blowout victory in the two teams’ previous meeting, Gemeinhardt-Cesler knows these are not games her team can take lightly.

“We need to come out and really make sure we are ready to play after not having a game for over a week. I think it will feel good just to get out there and play,” said Gemeinhardt-Cesler on Monday, in the midst of the team’s long, impromptu bus ride.

This time around, the Cyclones’ lineup will look different than the one they had against Creighton longer than a month ago.

Starting outfielders Bianca Lopez and Carleigh Berry were both dismissed last week over what Gemeinhardt-Cesler called a violation of team policy, but declined to comment further on the dismissals.

Moving forward, the Cyclones will, in all likelihood, replace those players in the outfield with freshmen. Anna Cole, Kelsey Enslin and Jennifer Drahozal were among the players Gemeinhardt-Cesler mentioned as candidates.

“They definitely have the tools and ability to play at this level,” Miller said of they Cyclones’ young lineup. “I have confidence in them to perform well.”