The Cyclones softball team has started rolling.

Iowa State went 8-7 over Spring Break and improved to 15-22 on the season. The team is 7-4 through its last 11 games going into Wednesday’s game with Western Illinois. The Westerwinds are 7-14 this season.

The Cyclones say the key to winning this series is the same keys they have had all season.

“Just like with anybody, if we are not focused and prepared then we don’t have a very good chance of winning,” said coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler. “It doesn’t matter who we are playing or what their record is. I’m not too concerned with Western Illinois, I’m more concerned about our team coming out and being ready to play.”

The team feels that their focus has been lacking particularly early in some games.

“We need to come out and be ready from the start for every game. Sometimes we don’t start as strong as we want to so I think that is one of our main focuses coming into the game.”

The Cyclones have been rather streaky so far into the season.

“I think we are hit or miss,” said senior catcher Ashley Killeen. “We play well sometimes and don’t others. But we played well through Spring Break.”

Gemeinhardt-Cesler said she felt the team was getting better at bouncing back from poor games. She felt, however, that they must get better at scoring runs more consistently.

“We need to score runs,” said senior pitcher Alyssa Ransom. “When we get people on base we need to make sure that we get them over and in. We just need to play like we have been for the last 10 or 11 games, we should be fine.”

One reason the team had such a good winning streak over Spring Break is the return of Ransom, who was forced to sit out two weeks with an injury.

“I thought that Ransom threw really well,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “We didn’t have to opportunity to ease her in very much. Once she got back we used her quite a bit. At the end of the week she felt a little bit tired but that’s normal even when she’s 100 percent healthy.”

Although Ransom was able to come back and pitch well, she still doesn’t feel 100 percent but estimates she is around 95 percent right now.

“I kind of just went into the game just trying to see where I was at,” Ransom said. “I didn’t put any pressure or expectations on myself. I’ve never had to take two weeks off before and try to come back from it. I was just trying to let it rip and see what happens.”

Another reason for the Cyclones current streak is their ability to score runs. They attribute their improved hitting to experience.

“We played a lot of games over Spring Break and the more at bats you get, the more comfortable you feel,” Killeen said. “So I think we have started to hit our groove.”

The Cyclones also cites the freshmen players for their improved batting.

Alex Johnson and Courtney Wray have been batting .333 over the past ten games and fellow freshman Amanda Bradberry has been hitting .381.

“I think that when something is new, it takes a while to make that adjustment,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “But they are all hard workers.”