The Cyclones (21–13) will play their first home game of the season at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Iowa State Softball Complex against in-state rival Iowa (16–13).

Iowa State’s last home victory against the Hawkeyes was in the 1999-00 season.

The Cy-Hawk Series for these two teams played its first series on April 15, 1975, in which the Cyclones won both games.

Iowa State has experienced more success in recent games, but the Hawkeyes have a slight edge overall in the series, with a 36–33–1 lead. Iowa will seek revenge after Iowa State secured an 8–2 victory against the Hawkeyes earlier in the season. 

That win put the Cyclones record at 2-2 in a game led offensively by freshman infielder Erica Miller and senior infielder Courtney Wray, who each contributed 3 RBI’s.

Miller also recorded her first career home run as the Cyclones eliminated the Hawkeyes from the Metrodome Softball Classic in Minneapolis.

The Cyclones are coming off of a split with Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, and say they feel confident, heading into the matchup.

“I’m happy with where we’re at right now,” coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler said.

“We had a solid weekend against Texas Tech, and we have seen all three of their pitchers when we beat them the first time, so we’re going into this one feeling pretty good about our chances.”

Sophomore outfielder Bianca Lopez and senior outfielder Kelsey Kidwell have put forth strong performances in recent series, and the two players’ ability to get on base and produce runs has played a major part in the Cyclones’ victories in eight of their last nine games.

Lopez boasts a .414 batting average and has clocked six doubles, two triples and eight RBI’s over a nine-game stretch.

“I’m just trying to stay consistent — at least one hit every game,” Lopez said,

“but I’m not trying to change anything. I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing, because it’s been working.”

Junior pitcher Rachel Zabriskie — whose 50th win this past Sunday made her the Cyclones’ all-time wins leader — will be back on the mound for the matchup against the Hawkeyes.

Zabriskie will continue her pursuit of becoming the first pitcher in Iowa State history to throw 200 strikeouts in one season.

She currently has 181 strikeouts so far this season. 

Zabriskie already holds the record for most career strikeouts in ISU history.

Led by Zabriskie, Iowa State has recorded a .158 ERA over the past nine games.

The team is eager to have its first home game of the season, as the weather has started to warm up and could be one of the warmest home games the Cyclones have seen in five years.

The Cyclones have played their first 32 games of the season on the road.

“We’re very excited,” Lopez said,

“especially because the weather is going to be nice, so I’m all ecstatic. And we beat Iowa last time, and I didn’t get to play the last time we played them, so I’m pretty excited.”