After a season full of struggle, the ISU softball team this year hopes to build on its experience.

With six freshmen in the starting lineup last year, the team had a lack of experience that resulted in a 13-31 overall record, 4-12 in the Big 12.

The Cyclones get their first chance to redeem themselves in the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Tournament in Las Vegas, where they face UNLV at 7 p.m. Thursday. After games against Southern Illinois and Michigan State on Friday, Iowa State plays first-ranked California on Saturday morning and wrap up the day against Florida.

“Our tourney schedule will not be easy with the tough competition we have, especially this weekend with high-caliber teams that are consistently in the NCAA tournament and the number one team,” said head coach Ruth Crowe. “We’d like to play some of those better teams later, but we don’t have that luxury.”

The team only lost one large contributor from last year, All-Big 12 senior Julia Lindsey, and Crowe said she feels her team will use the year of play under its belt to make a difference.

“Our goal is to be better this year than last year and to be more consistent,” she said. “We knew we’d have hard knocks last year with six freshman and not be very successful … We’re still relatively young, and with one more year we’ll be there.”

Crowe added six freshmen to a roster that includes six sophomores, two juniors and four seniors. She said she expects the seniors to set the tone and offer something to the rest of the squad, but the consistency must run from top to bottom, with every player making major contributions.

“[Chemistry] was harder to get, but now we’re very cohesive and a tight-knit team,” said sophomore catcher Ashley Killeen. “We’re a lot more confident this year with a lot more experience, and we feel now we can compete.”

Senior outfielder Kim Rodgers said she agrees the team’s play should be different from last year’s.

“We know it’s a new season and we’re starting from scratch again. We just have to lay it all on the line and give it our best shot and try not to fall back into a slump,” she said.

One important factor to the team’s success will be its transition to the field after spending its days practicing in the Lied Recreation Center. The limitations of being inside has the team itching for some action in the dirt.

“We have great space and a great facility, but it’s a whole different thing with grounders and fly balls in the outside space,” Crowe said. “We’re also ready to have some competition, seeing other pitchers and hitters besides our own.”

Killeen said the team has improved its batting by taking a different approach in the offseason with its live hitting.

Iowa State will spend its first month of games largely on the road, but Killeen said the team has learned to maintain that stress, as well as academics.

“We just want to compete every game, and with our tough schedule, we hope to improve every game along the way,” she said.