With a chance to follow up its monstrous win at Texas with another important conference win, the ISU softball team fell by the wayside against No. 25 Nebraska.

Despite dominating the first two innings, racking up a 5-1 lead, the Cyclones let Nebraska creep back to tie the game at five in the fifth. Propelled by 10 unanswered runs, the Huskers pounded five critical hits in the eighth to win 11-5.

Iowa State surrendered 15 hits in a poorly pitched game. Starter Alyssa Ransom was replaced in the middle of the third by Katie Reichling, who was swapped for Ransom again in the fifth. Husker pitcher Ashley DeBuhr, however, had a phenomenal showing on the mound, striking out 11 while giving up seven hits.

“We did not have good pitching, but even in spite of that we had chances later in the game,” said ISU coach Ruth Crowe. “Our pitching isn’t always going to be 100 percent, but at 75 and 80 percent the defense has to take up the slack.

“Our defense should have kept us in, and we should have won the game.”

Nebraska began its hit parade in the first with senior Anne Steffan leading off with a single, followed by teammate Jessica Yoachim’s drive off of Ransom’s glove. Lizzy Rock laid a successful bunt, loading the bases. A sacrifice fly by Sheena Lawrick scored Steffan for the game’s first run.

Iowa State answered as Diana Reuter uncorked her fourth home run of the year over the right field fence, bumping the score to 4-1. Reichling and Ashley Killeen scored on the play.

The runs were the first by Iowa State against Nebraska since 2003.

“There are always opportunities when you’re up to bat, and our plan the whole time with this pitcher was to take her outside pitch,” Reuter said. “Nebraska is a great team and tough competition, and we knew it would be a slugfest. We knew our defense would need to step up, but we fell flat and lost our composure on the field.”

Iowa State’s Jennifer Bigbee and Kim Rodgers had hits in the second to advance the score, but the Huskers had a big fourth inning, pulling them to within one run.

Nebraska loaded the bases in the fifth off Reichling, and Ransom was sent in to recover. Ransom was hit by a shot from Katie Linke that scored Lawrick, but remained in the game as Reuter completed a double play to end the inning.

The Huskers continued to buckle down their game, refusing to let the Cyclones capitalize on any opportunities.

The extra inning was all Huskers, as Cassie Kleinsmith reached on a single, Steffan was intentionally walked and Yoachim loaded the bases with a successful bunt. Rock unloaded a three-run triple over right-fielder Kristy Olsen’s head. Trisha Tannahill added to the lead with a towering homer to right. Iowa State failed to answer in the bottom of the eighth.

“We had a plan going into the game, and we overreacted when they changed their plan. We started looking and chasing, and we knew better,” Crowe said. “The double plays we had were icing on the cake, but you have to have the cake on a consistent basis to make it worthy.”

Iowa State takes the field again Thursday against South Dakota State. The game is set to begin at 4 p.m. and will be played at the Southwest Athletic Complex.