Since the ISU softball team played its first home game March 28, much of the season has been dictated by recent atypical spring weather. Thursday was no exception, when many Cyclones were wearing coats on the field as they hosted the Bison of North Dakota State for a twinbill at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

In a series that was moved to Ames earlier this week because of unplayable field and playing conditions in Fargo, N.D., Iowa State earned a split after battling temperatures barely above freezing and winds up to 20 miles per hour.

The Cyclones’ (20-28, 0-4 Big 12) recent struggles at the plate continued against the Bison (22-17), but they still managed to score three unearned runs on just one hit and six walks in a 3-1 game one victory. Iowa State scored all three of its runs in the 4th inning by reaching base on an error and drawing five free passes in six consecutive plate appearances.

“You’re not going to score many runs on one hit,” said coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler. “But we did a good job of taking advantage of a pitcher that was struggling by drawing walks or getting hit by a pitch.”

The Cyclones improved with a seven-hit performance in game two, but dropped the finale 8-2 after surrendering seven runs in the first two innings.

“We got more hits in game two than we have been lately, but they weren’t timely,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “We just got ourselves into too big a hole right off the bat and couldn’t get out of it.”

After being roughed up by Oklahoma State last weekend, senior pitcher Alyssa Ransom has bounced back to sparkle on the mound for the second straight game, as she picked up win number eight in a complete game victory in game one.

“I’m just trying to pitch every game one at a time,” Ransom said. “I don’t want to carry any baggage into the next game from the last one, and just try to focus on each individual outing by itself.”

Despite allowing five of seven leadoff hitters to reach base, Ransom surrendered just one run in seven innings, walking one and striking out five.

“Alyssa has thrown really well in her last two games,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “You never want to let leadoff hitters on, but for her to be able to buckle down and make quality pitches when she has to is a really good sign.”

Immediately after the conclusion of game two, the Cyclones bolted for Norman, Okla., where they will face the Oklahoma Sooners in a conference doubleheader Friday afternoon.

The Sooners (38-4, 4-2 Big 12), ranked No. 2 in the USA Today/NFCA and No. 3 in the ESPN/USA softball polls, are led by catcher Samantha Ricketts, whose .504 batting average leads the Big 12, and ace Lauren Eckermann, who boasts a 1.48 ERA and a 22-1 record.

“Obviously Oklahoma is a very good team,” said senior Kristen Karanzias. “But if our bats start to come around and we and minimize our errors, we’ll be able to compete.”