The ISU softball team was swept in their doubleheader against Texas on Saturday, losing 10-0 and 4-0.

In Iowa State’s first Big 12 home games of the year, Longhorn pitchers Meagan Denny and Brittany Barnhill kept Cyclone batters off balance, allowing only seven hits over the course of both games. Iowa State was shut out in consecutive games for the first time this season.

“They’re a good team, but we did a lot of things today that we don’t normally do, and that cost us,” said sophomore Amanda Bradberry. “We didn’t get the breaks we’ve been getting lately, and when you play a good team like Texas, you can’t win if you don’t get them.”

Bradberry accounted for nearly half of Iowa State’s (23-14, 1-3) offensive production, going 3 for 6 over both games. Her double in the fifth inning of the second game broke up Barnhill’s bid for a perfect game. Last season, Denny threw a no-hitter against the Cyclones in Austin. Bradberry was determined to not let history repeat itself.

“I hate when opposing pitchers throw no-hitters against us,” she said. “Denny threw one against us last year, and we wanted no part of that happening again. I wasn’t going to let it happen again.”

Denny gave up five hits and struck out nine in the first game, which ended in the fifth inning due to the 10-run rule.

Bradberry and sophomore Kelsey Kidwell each had two hits against Denny in the first game.

With 20-30 mph winds blowing out to left field in the second game, Barnhill got 13 outs on ground balls and six on strikeouts. She allowed only one fly ball in seven innings.

“Barnhill was a tough pitcher – maybe one of the better ones we’ve faced,” Bradberry said. “We couldn’t get much going against her.”

Entering the games with Iowa State, Longhorn pitchers were holding opponents to a .155 batting average in Big 12 play. Although Cyclone hitters made solid contact in both games, it seemed as if every ball ISU hitters put in play found its way into Longhorn leather.

“I thought we attacked the ball offensively all day – we just couldn’t get timely hits,” assistant coach Gary Hines said. “We didn’t catch any breaks, and it seemed like we were hitting in right at them. It didn’t help that their pitchers didn’t make many mistakes.”

But Cyclone pitchers did, and the ISU offense wasn’t good enough to make up the difference. Nine of Texas’ (18-12-2, 4-1) 16 hits went for extra bases, including five home runs. Texas sophomore Loryn Johnson went 5-for-7 with a home run, a double and three runs scored, and Kelly Melone went 3-for-6 with a home run and three runs batted in.

Senior Amie Ford took the loss in game one, giving up five runs, two of them earned, in 2.2 innings. Cyclone pitchers allowed an uncharacteristic number of walks – six – in the doubleheader. And when the pitches did find the strike zone, the Longhorn batters hit the ball hard.

“We made some mistakes in the strike zone,” Hines said. “I have to give them credit for taking advantage of our mistakes. They didn’t miss them today, and as a result, we couldn’t keep the ball in the park.”

Freshman Rachel Zabriskie pitched well for most of the second game, allowing just one hit and one walk over five innings, but faltered down the stretch. Texas broke the game open with three solo home runs in the final two frames.

“Over the course of the season, you can see in our statistics that we have trouble winning when we give up more than three runs,” Hines said.

The Cyclone are 18-2 when giving up two or fewer runs, but just 4-7 when giving up three or more.

Although Iowa State was swept by Texas, Hines thought the Cyclones played better than they had over their previous four games, when they went 3-1.

“Even during the last few games when we won, I thought we played better today than we did in those wins,” he said. “After taking a beating in that first game, I was pleased to see how well we came back and stuck with them in the second [game].”

The Cyclones look to rebound Tuesday night when they welcome intra-state rival Iowa (21-11, 1-1 Big 10) to the Southwest Athletic Complex.