Coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler and the ISU softball team are preparing for a rugged stretch of their schedule, playing 10 road games in nine days.

The extended road trip will begin in Wichita, Kan., where the Cyclones will face the Wichita State Shockers (6-15) in two games Saturday, followed by a third game Sunday.

The Cyclones will then head to Kansas City, Mo., to play a double-header Monday against the University of Missouri-Kansas City (10-6).

After a short week of practice, the Cyclones will travel to Stanford, Calif., for five games at the Louisville Slugger Classic, starting March 18.

“It’s a great start for us with Wichita State and UMKC. I think our team has a great opportunity to play better than last weekend,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “Then, hopefully, we’ll be able to come back and get in some practice outside and then head out to California.”

While at the Louisville Slugger Classic, the Cyclones will face UNLV (11-7), Cal Poly (3-17) and Northwestern (12-5) once each, as well as Stanford (17-3) twice.

The Northwestern Wildcats and the Stanford Cardinal likely will be the Cyclones’ toughest competition at the Classic. The Wildcats are on a five-game winning streak that included knocking off the No. 11-ranked California Golden Bears.

Northwestern is led offensively by Emily Allard, hitting .571 on the season, and pitcher Meghan Lamberth, who is 7-0 with 2.00 ERA.

Stanford, currently ranked No. 14, has a two-headed monster of a pitching staff with Teagan Gerhart (1.49 ERA) and Ashley Chinn (2.30 ERA).

The Cardinal also have five different players hitting more than the .400 mark on the season, led by Ashley Hansen at .515. By comparison, the Cyclones’ leading hitter is Tori Torrescano with a .367 batting average.

However, Gemeinhardt-Cesler has been re-tooling her lineup of late, giving freshman Anna Cole her first starts of the season in right field, as well as adjusting the batting order from top to bottom.

“There’s a competition everywhere for us,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “Every day people have opportunities to break into the line-up; every day is a competition.”

Her players have accepted and embraced the challenge of competing for starting jobs.

“Everyone, including me, is always working for a starting spot,” said outfielder Heidi Kidwell. “It makes everybody work a lot harder every day.”