A near-win against No. 6 Texas A&M this past weekend has put a spark of hope back in the ISU softball squad’s season.

The team was tied with the Aggies until a walk-off home run in the eighth sealed Iowa State’s fate. Now, the Cyclones seek the chance to get their first conference win Wednesday when they travel to face No. 25 Nebraska.

The Huskers (24-12, 2-5 Big 12) are in the process of rebuilding their pitching game after losing All-American Peaches James, who exhausted her eligibility last year. Sophomore Ashley DeBuhr has taken the brunt of the pitching duties, accumulating a 14-12 record.

The team improved its lot by splitting a pair of games against No. 9 Baylor over the weekend.

“They are definitely a top 25 team, and they’re always tough to beat at home,” said ISU coach Ruth Crowe. “They are very consistent, but after our games this weekend I feel like we have the chance to win.”

Crowe said she was pleased with the Cyclones’ effort against the Aggies, saying the way the team bounced back after double routs by Missouri was admirable.

“We went from Missouri to being thrown into that hostile environment down in Texas, but our pitching and defensive plays were great,” she said. “If we can stay at this point for the remainder of the season, at least we are competing.”

ISU outfielder Misty Kimura said the team felt good about the almost beating a ranked team, and Crowe let the players know it was a step in the team’s progress.

“It’s all about competing; we just have to figure out how to get over this hump, and then good things will happen,” Kimura said. “Either we go in flat or other teams take us for granted or expect us to roll over. Once we get ourselves going individually, it will come together as a whole.”

Iowa State has a large undertaking to defeat the Nebraska, who dominated the Cyclones last year in a 6-0 stomping.

Ranked No. 18 at the time, the Huskers pounded out 10 hits to Iowa State’s two to capture the victory.

Ashley Killeen and Cary Akins were the only Cyclones to get hits.

The Huskers are rallying around the solid bat of senior Anne Steffan, who is ranked second in the Big 12 with an average of .467 and has 63 hits to her credit. Elizabeth Rock comes in sixth with a .409 batting average.

DeBuhr leads the conference in innings pitched with 161, and is second in most strikeouts, setting down 173 batters.

Iowa State is paced by sophomore Katie Reichling, who averages a mark of .299, including 23 hits, six doubles and two home runs on the year.

Kim Rodgers, tied for first in the conference in triples at four, has tallied 12 runs and 21 hits with 13 RBIs.

Reichling is 6-7 thus far on the mound, followed by sophomore Alyssa Ransom at 6-13. Ransom has 32 strikeouts on the season, and Reichling has an ERA of 2.61.

“Whether we win or not, we’re going out there after it,” Crowe said.

“We still go in there battling, and you can’t teach that. I think that comes from the heart.”

The first pitch is slated for 4 p.m Wednesday in Lincoln, Neb. at Bowlin Stadium.