The Cyclones travel to Columbia, Mo. Wednesday to take on the best team in the Big 12 — twice.

The 10th-ranked Tigers (40-5, 10-2 in the Big 12) have dominated the conference this season, sporting the best batting average by .29 and scoring 31 more runs then the next closest team. Missouri is not all offense, however, as they also have the best ERA (1.24) by half a run and have allowed 20 fewer runs than anybody in the conference.

But all those wins and rankings are not scaring the Cyclones.

“It probably motivates us more, just knowing that they probably are underestimating us and knowing that they might not come out and play to the best of their ability,” said junior third baseman Courtney Wray.

Junior catcher Alex Johnson said she hardly pays attention to the rankings.

“I don’t know too much about ranked teams,” she said. “That’s something I don’t look at and I don’t think about. I mean, I guess when you tell me these things or if the coaches tell me before the game then I know, but I don’t look at them any differently than anybody else that we play. I want to win.”

Although Iowa State (21-24, 3-9 in the Big 12) has struggled since entering Big 12 play, recently the team has seen improved play, winning two of its last three Big 12 games.

“Maybe we just got into a rut,” Johnson said. “It seems like right now we are coming out, we are hitting the ball, we are being aggressive on the bases, we are being aggressive up to bat, we have confidence in ourselves and our teammates. I think that we are more ready now then we were last week to play MU.”

The Cyclones face their first doubleheader since losing second pitcher Charissa Carlin for the season, and are unsure who will pitch the second game.

Sophomore Rachel Zabriskie has started every game for the Cyclones since Carlin’s injury, but freshman Lauren Kennewell is recovering from an injury as well and has already pitched five innings of relief in the last couple weeks.

“We have never really had much of a plan because we have never really had a choice,” said head coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler. “We just have to go one pitch at a time and that is going to be a day decision.”

This series is also a bit of a homecoming for Gemeinhardt-Cesler, who played at Missouri in the late 90s, twice earning team MVP honors.

“I had a great time playing there, but it was a long time ago and so much has happened since then,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “It’s just another place to play.”

It has been a tough place for Gemeinhardt-Cesler in the past, as she has gone 1-5 against her former team in her first three years with the Cyclones.