Going into a big series with Nebraska this week, the ISU softball team started to get its hitting turned around in a series split with Texas Tech this weekend.

That effort was jump-started by senior outfielders Katie Reichling and Fallon Johnson, who both had two hits in each game this weekend.

Johnson said she had a lot of confidence this weekend and just went up with the mentality that she was going to get a hit.

“I just told myself whatever pitch I decide to hit, I’m going to hit it,” Johnson said. “If you don’t think that, then you won’t hit it.”

Johnson was 4-8 for the series with a run scored and Reichling was 4-5 with a run scored to lead the Cyclones (22-30, 1-7 Big 12).

Reichling said things just seemed to come together this weekend.

“I just concentrated on looking at the ball and things seemed to seem connect this weekend,” Reichling said.

Johnson scored what ended up being the winning run in the Cyclones first Big 12 Conference win against the Red Raiders (18-21, 1-7 Big 12), who also came into the weekend winless.

Coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler said both players have playing very well lately.

“We moved her [Johnson] up from nine to one because she has been moving the ball hard,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “Katie hit the ball well yesterday and I’m happy that rolled over to today where she felt confident.”

“She’s been confident at the plate for the past couple weeks,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said.

Iowa State will now take on the rival Nebraska Cornhuskers in a home-and-home series on Tuesday and Thursday. The Huskers, who were 31-13 and 4-4 in the Big 12 going into a game Sunday with Texas, are coming off a 5-4, 11-inning victory over that same Longhorn team.

Gemeinhardt-Cesler said it is just another series against a good Big 12 team.

“We really have to be focused and prepared to play them there on Tuesday,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “Then we have to be able to refocus and have them here on Thursday.”

Nebraska, like the Cyclones, has struggled a little bit at the plate, but is led by pitcher Ashley DeBuhr, who is 16-6 with a 1.32 ERA. Molly Hill is 14-7 with an ERA below one as well.

Reichling said it is exciting during the week when there is only one series.

“They have a lot of fans, and that really gets you excited for the game,” Reichling said. “We’re excited to go up there and take one from them.”