With a few injuries on the team, the Cyclones have been stepping up to compensate, and it’s paying off.

Iowa State has been seeing some improvement in their play over the past few games.

The team went on a seven-game losing streak between April 2 and April 14. In the past four double headers , the Cyclones won one game and lost one game in each.

In that span, Iowa State won at Nebraska for the first time since 1995 and also split with No. 10 Missouri on the road. In addition, the Cyclones split with Oklahoma State at home and Texas A&M  on the road this weekend.

“I think that its great that we’re definitely playing better,” coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “Big 12 conference is a big conference. We still have a lot to accomplish, and we’re just going to go one pitch at a time.”

These past four doubleheaders were all against Big 12 companions. Before that the Cyclones had only won one Big 12 game, against Texas Tech.

Injuries

The Cyclones have had trouble this year with players being injured. Lauren Kennewell was injured during preseason practice.

“She’s doing really really well. She threw [Sunday] and she’s coming along,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “She’s getting stronger and stronger. I don’t think she’s quite at 100 percent like where she would be if she never would have broken her arm. For the situation she’s in and the opportunities she’s had, she’s doing a really great job.”

Katie Harms was also injured prior to season with a shoulder injury.

“She’s still hurt so she really hasn’t been throwing a whole lot,” Gemeinhardt-Celser said.

More recently Courtney Wray fractured her wrist during the game against Missouri and is expected to be out for the rest of the season.

“Courtney is a great player. Saturday a lot of people stepped up and did a great job with not having her,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “I think if we continue to do that, even though we want Courtney back, I am really proud with the way other people have responded.”

Pitching

Rachel Zabriskie has thrown 251 innings this season, picking up almost every pitching start.

“She’s thrown a lot of innings, and I know that she doesn’t feel great, and that’s just the natural wear and tear of throwing so much,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “The thing that she does is when she goes out she competes, and she does a great job. There’s no doubt in my mind that she’s just going to keep plugging away.”