The ISU softball team trys to avoid losing its seventh (and possibly eighth) straight game when it hosts intrastate rival Drake in a doubleheader Wednesday night at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

Drake (17-16, 8-3 Missouri Valley Conference) is tied with Creighton for the second-best winning percentage (.727) in the conference and is on track to win its fourth (and possibly fifth) straight game after sweeping Northern Iowa in a three-game series last weekend. The Bulldogs racked up 40 hits and scored 36 runs over the three-game series and will now face a struggling Cyclone team that’s lacked consistency over the past 23 games.

“Drake is a good team and getting better – they’ve won some big games this year when they beat Michigan and Arkansas,” said co-head coach Gary Hines. “We’re looking for some consistency. I don’t want to make excuses, but inconsistency, in terms of playing well from game to game, is a hallmark of young teams. We’re starting a new part of our season and we want to settle into a more consistent level than what we’ve shown.”

After getting off to an 18-4 start to begin the year, the team has lost 13 of 18 following run-rule losses to No. 6 Texas A&M on Saturday. During their current six-game slide, the Cyclones have been shut out twice and scored just six runs total. The Cyclones will try to jump-start their offense by reaching base any way they can, and Drake may help them out in one way or another.

Drake pitchers have struggled with control issues all season long and leads its conference in hit batters, walks allowed and wild pitches thrown.

The Cyclones will likely face Drake’s ace freshman Brynne Dordel (12-5, 1.70 ERA) in at least one of the games. Dordel has held hitters to a .187 batting average this season.

The Bulldogs are led offensively by first baseman Marilyn Buss, whose .329 batting average is tops among regulars, and power hitters Susan Slycord and Jaci Faidley, who have combined for 15 home runs and 43 runs batted in. The Bulldogs rank second in the Missouri Valley in home runs with 29.

Hines believes his team should concentrate more on improving and spend less time focusing on the opposition.

“When we play well, we can play with anybody – we proved that against Baylor – and when we don’t play well we struggle, “Hines said. “We just have to go out there and play our game, regardless of who we’re playing or where they’re from. We’re going to take a look at our season, re-assess our goals, see what we’ve accomplished and figure out what we can do to finish strong the rest of the way.”

Drake vs. Iowa State

When: 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Where: Southwest Athletic Complex

Notes: Last year’s games against Drake were canceled due to inclement weather. Iowa State played Drake in fall ball this past fall, losing 3-1 in Des Moines. Cyclone pitchers have given up 18 home runs on the year.