It was the classic David vs. Goliath battle when the Cyclones took on No. 1-ranked Texas in a doubleheader Saturday. Unfortunately for the Cyclones, the weekend didn’t go as well for them as it did for David.

The Cyclones hung with the Longhorns in game one, but Texas proved to be just a bit too much at first, then overpowering in their 3-1 and 6-0 wins.

“They have definitely improved since last year on their hitting,” said game one pitcher Alyssa Ransom. “They looked like the No. 1-team in the nation today to me.”

The Cyclones fell behind early by four runs in the first inning, as their offense was overpowered by Texas phenomenon Cat Osterman (23-1) who dominated Iowa State’s line-up.

She struck out the first seven batters she faced en route to a final count of 19 strikeouts. Iowa State was held hitless until the sixth inning when Jennifer Bigbee finally broke through.

“Cat Osterman is phenomenal – she’s the world’s best,” Ransom said. “We did a good part against some great pitching today.”

In the first game, the offense was able to bounce back from a leadoff home run from Texas by scratching across an unearned run in the first inning.

But Texas pitcher Meagan Denny shut down the Cyclones, holding them to one hit on the game.

Although limited to only one run, Iowa State found itself hanging with the Longhorns in game one. It took until the sixth inning before Texas’ Megan Willis broke up the 1-1 tie with a two-run home run.

Two pitches proved to be the difference in game one, with all of the Longhorns’ scoring coming from two home runs. They were able to stick with Texas, which the Cyclones viewed as a positive for the series.

“I think we were really happy with the way things went – two pitches away from winning it,” Ransom said.

“That is where we need to be from here on out in every single game that we play.

The Cyclones felt there were more positives to be had after the doubleheader, and cited a struggling defense as an area of improvement.

“We have to find a way to play consistently that well defensively,” said ISU coach Stacy Gemeinhardt said. “When we do our job defensively, it usually will pay off.”

It almost did pay off in the first game, as the defense played error-free and rescued Ransom from an ominous situation with a double play on a suicide attempt, keeping the game tied at one.

The Cyclones dropped to 1-3 in the Big 12 (15-15) and are currently in the midst of a four-game losing streak – their longest of the season. Texas moved to 5-0 in the Big 12 and 38-3 on the season. Although they were swept, the Cyclones came out of the series feeling good about a solid effort against the nation’s best team.

“I thought that they competed very well,” Gemeinhardt said. “I felt that they did a very good job in the first game and the second game, and overall I was pleased with them today.”

Iowa State will be home again to take on its intrastate rival Iowa, at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

Pitchers share roots

Cat Osterman, of Texas, is a 2004 Olympic gold medalist, holds the NCAA record for strikeouts (1995) and has a career record of 121-22 with a .49-earned run average. Iowa State’s Amie Ford is 9-6 in the first Big 12 season of her career.

Both pitchers graduated from Cypress Springs High School in Texas.

Ford, then a sophomore, played first base while senior Osterman pitched, and vice versa. Ford said she was able to learn a thing or two about pitching from watching Osterman on a daily basis.

“It’s always fun to play with someone that talented,” Ford said. “She was really supportive, and she still is. She came over to me after the game and talked to me a lot.”

Saturday’s match-up gave both Osterman and Ford their first chance to square off against each other.

“I laughed when we were in the bullpen warming up because it was kind of funny now that we were going against each other,” Osterman said.

Despite having a rough first inning, Ford settled down, leading Osterman to praise her former teammate.

“I was really impressed in the way she settled down after the first inning, and even how she kept her head and composure,” Osterman said.

Osterman got the best of Ford this time. Ford may not be anywhere near Osterman’s level, but not many pitchers are. Osterman was impressed with Ford’s pitching, and feels she might just be a few steps away from elevating her game.

“For her [Ford] it’s to find consistency day in and day out,” Osterman said. “I think with a lot of the hard work she puts in, it will come. She’s out here to help Iowa State contend, and I think she’ll do that in the years to come.”

– Chris Conetzkey