For Iowa State to contend with Nebraska, ISU head coach Ruth Crowe said the Cyclones need to hold the Cornhuskers scoreless in the first and keep the score down the rest of the game.

The ISU softball team will begin a four-game road trip starting Wednesday when it travels to Lincoln, Neb., to take on the 18th-ranked Huskers.

Crowe said one of Nebraska’s greatest strengths is its explosive hitting. The Cornhuskers are led by junior Anna Steffan’s .364 batting average, with Sheena Lawrick (.337) and senior Nicole Trimboli (.327) nipping closely at her heels. Nebraska comes out firing and doesn’t let up, having scored 45 total runs — more than one quarter of its 174 season total — in the first inning.

“They’ve been very, very explosive in the first,” Crowe said. “I think that is a testament to the top of their order and what a great job they’ve done.”

The game could be a lost cause if the Cyclones drop to a five-run deficit, as the Huskers are 12-1 so far this season when leading by five.

To cool off the early Husker bats, the Cyclones will need a strong start from pitcher Alyssa Ransom. Ransom is 7-10 on the season with a 2.23 ERA.

“I’ll have to come out strong for sure,” she said. “Sometimes your first inning is your shakiest, which means I’ll have to step onto that field ready to go.”

Shaky first innings might be a reason the Huskers score so many first-inning runs, Ransom said.

Crowe said Nebraska’s pitching is another thing that sets it apart from other teams.

Nebraska (25-11) is currently on a seven-game winning streak that includes a two-game sweep of No. 19 Baylor over the weekend. The team’s last loss came March 19 to Oklahoma 1-0. The 9-19 Cyclones have a streak of their own going — two straight losses courtesy of Texas A&M last weekend.

Peaches James, a senior right-hander, will be on the mound for Nebraska. The 20-5 James owns a conference-low 0.70 ERA, has fanned 204 batters and holds opponents to a meek .140 batting average.

Senior Julia Lindsey said her team needs a mistake-free game to take down the Huskers.

“We have to stay sharp and can’t make the little mistakes. They add up and, before you know it, you’re down three or four runs,” she said. “I think when teams face us, not that they don’t respect us, sometimes they come out a little bit flatter, and we need to jump on teams when they’re like that so they are catching up to us.”

Game time is 4 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln, Neb.