The Cyclones went from their worst weekend of the season to their best series of the season this weekend, completing the sweep of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, their first sweep in three years.

In game one, junior right fielder Matt Schrage got the Cyclones started early with his two-out RBI double to right-center field, scoring Andrew Reiff and putting Iowa State up 1-0. Sophomore third basemen Drew Samuels then singled before stealing second — when he attempted to steal third the ball got by the Nebraska catcher and allowed Samuels to come all the way around and score, putting the Cyclones up 2-0 after the first inning.

The Cornhuskers responded in the top of the third inning with a two-out rally helped out by a throwing error and an infield single that allowed two runs to score on Zack Oliva’s double to deep right center field, tying the score at 2-2 before sophomore pitcher Tyler Strub recorded his fourth strikeout to end the Huskers top of the third.

Schrage recorded his third RBI of the game to put ISU up 3-2 when he found the gap in left field, scoring Reiff, who reached when he was hit by the pitch.

Strub started the seventh and final inning with eight strikeouts and let up a single before cashing in his ninth strikeout of the game, setting up a somewhat dramatic finish as the next Nebraska batter doubled to right. This gave Nebraska runners on second and third with one out. Strub forced a flyout to center field and the runners held. Strub then intentionally walked the next hitter setting up a force at any base with two outs.

Strub then forced a pop out to second, ending the game in a 3-2 Cyclone victory.

“It felt good to have everything working again this outing — I got shelled last time out so it was good to have all my pitches working again,” Strub said.

Iowa State started the second game much like the first, with senior outfielder Drew Thorson tripling and knocking in sophomore third basemen Andrew Reiff and then scoring himself on a Husker error, giving the Cyclones a 2-0 lead after the first inning.

NU got one back in their half of the second on a sac bunt, scoring the runner from third, cutting the Cyclone lead to 2-1 going into the bottom of the second. Freshman third basemen Ben Bergum started off the inning with a single then stole second. Sophomore Brock Martin then stepped to the plate and hit a groundball to left, which their left fielder mishandled allowing him to get to second and Bergum to score, putting Iowa State up 3-1.

The Cyclones never looked back and cruised to a 7-3 win. Player coach Andrew Schmid said a key part of the victory was taking advantage of their mistakes.

“We jumped on their errors today. We played good baseball both games, which is good,” Schmid said.

Game three was another slow start for the Cyclones but good baseball strategy and Nebraska’s continued fielding woes helped the Cyclones pull away late.

This time it was the Huskers that got the upper hand out of the gates as they quickly took a 1-0 lead on an RBI double by catcher Zack Oliva.Iowa State would answer in its half of the first starting with a Mark Scallon single. Scallon then took second and third on pass balls before Grant Thomas knocked him home with a sacrifice fly, evening the score at 1-1.

Iowa State finally broke the deadlock in the bottom of the fourth on a Matt Harriman RBI single to center field, putting them up 2-1.

Nebraska, however, wouldn’t go away as it quickly put runners on in the top of the sixth and tied the score at 2-2 with no out and still a runner on second who moved to third on a groundout. Sophomore pitcher Ben Butler, pitched his way out of the jam, however, and stopped the bleeding. The score remained at 2-2 going into the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Cyclones countered this with some smart baseball of their own. Junior shortstop Erik Klinsky walked and Harriman singled bringing up Scallon. Scallon laid a beautiful bunt down the third baseline moving the runners to second and third but the throw to first went astray, allowing Klinsky and Harriman to score and Scallon to move to second, putting the Cyclones up 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth.

“I just walked over to Smaga and he asked me if I wanted to bunt, and I said ‘Yeah’ and just tried to put it down the line and move the guys over,” Scallon said. “I was just trying to get a sacrifice and it ended up being a good bunt and I made it on first.”

They scored three more runs that inning putting them up 7-2 and they would hold on to win by that score, completing the sweep.

Schmid mentioned the sweep is a good sign that the team is peaking and playing like they need to and cutting down on the errors

“It feels great we needed to do it to stay in the upper half of the conference standings,” Schmid said.