After a close win against Drake the day before, the ISU softball team belted 14 hits Thursday afternoon, routing Western Illinois 11-3.

Iowa State used a plethora of hits and minimal errors to cruise by the Westerwinds, who mustered five hits in the contest. ISU pitcher Alyssa Ransom struck out four en route to her seventh victory of the season, helping the Cyclones bump their record to 15-26.

“This was definitely what our kids needed today, and it was great to have people come out and produce,” said ISU coach Ruth Crowe.

“A lot of different people stepped up throughout the lineup.”

Iowa State got itself into an early jam with an error in the first inning, resulting in a Western Illinois run. The Cyclones wasted no time in making up for the miscue.

Cary Akins started a first-inning hitting barrage with a single, advancing to second on a passed ball. A double to right field by Katie Reichling scored Akins, and a double by Ashley Killeen just inside the right baseline brought Reichling home. Misty Kimura kept the doubles rolling with a shot to center that scored Killeen and gave Iowa State a 3-1 advantage.

Western Illinois scored again in the second to pull within one, but Iowa State responded in the third after the Westerwinds made a pitching change from starter Karenmarie Pena to Kim King. The Cyclones pushed four more runners across the plate, jumping the score to 7-2.

To add more fuel to the fire, senior Kim Rodgers drove her first home run of the season in the fourth inning with a shot over the left field wall.

“Everyone hit awesome today, and it was very contagious through the lineup,” she said. “Each hit fed everyone else’s.”

Western Illinois attempted a comeback in the fifth inning with hits from Jess Stanforth and Lindsey Hession, along with an error by Iowa State, that notched the Westerwinds’ third run of the game.

It was soon Iowa State’s turn to bat, and after Killeen’s liner to right, Western Illinois placed Christine Drankiewicz on the mound to close the contest. Kimura responded with an RBI double to center, scoring pinch runner Ellen Buehner.

Jessica Quade opened the sixth inning with a double to deep right, accompanied by an RBI from Reichling. Killeen then pounded her fourth hit of the game on a single to left to bring in the runner and make the score 11-3. The eight-run rule was enforced, and the game was called after six innings.

Iowa State will have its hands full this weekend against No. 3 Texas, which is 33-8 overall and 7-3 in the Big 12.

The Sunday game in Austin will be televised on ESPN2 at 3 p.m. It marks the first time a Cyclone softball game has been nationally televised.