After five straight Big 12 losses, the ISU softball team got its second conference win of the season.

The Cyclones (25-19, 2-6 Big 12) split their weekend series at Oklahoma State (21-19, 4-4 Big 12) in two games that could not have been more different from each other.

Iowa State was overmatched in the first game Saturday, getting run-ruled 9-1 in the sixth inning at Cowgirl Stadium. In game two Sunday, the Cyclones turned the tables on Oklahoma State, beating the Cowgirls 4-1.

In the first game, the Cyclones gave up a run in the first inning before tying the game on an RBI double by sophomore first baseman Sydni Jones, scoring sophomore second baseman Amanda Bradberry.

After that first run, the Cyclones couldn’t slow down the Oklahoma State offense, which scored in every inning except the third.

“They are a good hitting team – we did keep the ball in the park, but they hit it pretty hard. They hit some ground balls right in the hole. It felt like everything they touched there for a couple of innings fell in,” said co-head coach Gary Hines. “I think it was a combination of we were getting the ball up a little bit, and they were taking advantage of it.”

After the first game, the Cyclones were determined to turn things around.

“We talked about it after the game. We have done it before,” Hines said. “At Baylor, we didn’t play well in the first game and then we put it aside and played well the next game.”

On Sunday, Hines said the team looked more confident at the plate. He also was proud of how his players limited the Cowgirls on defense.

“We came back really strong and got a well-pitched game and a well-played defensive game,” Hines said.

The second game began inauspiciously for the Cyclones, who fell behind 1-0 in the first inning after two Iowa State errors.

Freshman pitcher Rachel Zabriskie pitched well, however, holding Oklahoma State hitless for 5.2 innings and allowing only four in the whole game. The win pushed her record to 12-8.

The Cyclones also got their offense going in the second game, tying the game in the fourth inning on a double by freshman catcher Sara Stinson, scoring Jones.

Bradberry broke the tie with a solo home run in the sixth inning, her second of the season. Bradberry has now reached base in 11 of the Cyclones’ last 12 games.

After Zabriskie got out of a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the sixth, the Cyclones were able to put up two insurance runs in the top of the seventh.

It looked as if those runs would be necessary after the Cowgirls again loaded the bases in the seventh. But, like she did in the inning before, Zabriskie was able to get an easy fly ball out, giving the Cyclones the road victory.