Although the wind had no problems getting up for the Iowa State-Iowa softball game Tuesday, the Cyclones did.

Amid strong winds, No. 20 Iowa took advantage of two home runs and a sluggish ISU team on its way to a 10-4 win.

“I just think we came out flat,” ISU head coach Ruth Crowe said.

With the loss, Iowa State fell to 15-17 on the year while Iowa improved to 28-14.

Jessica Bashor’s two-run home run and Christina Schmaltz’s three-run shot paced the Hawkeyes for a day where routine fly outs turned into blasts over the fence.

Iowa State’s Kelly Wardein was also helped by the wind when her long fly ball sailed over the centerfield fence, giving Wardein her first home run of her career and gave her eight runs-batted-in on the season.

“Kelly Wardein hitting her first home run, that’s kind of fun to see. Wind aided or not, it’s still fun for [the team],” Crowe said.

Iowa got on the board first in the game, scoring two runs in the first and one in the second to take a 3-0 lead.

Wardein’s home run in the second brought Iowa State within one, but that’s the closest the Cyclones would get.

Bashor’s home run in the third, Schmaltz’s in the fourth and two more runs in the fifth put the Hawkeyes up 10-2.

Iowa State got on the board again with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the scoring stopped there.

Iowa’s Lisa Birocci held the Cyclones scoreless the rest of the game while ISU freshman Lindsey Herrin – who replaced losing pitcher Erica Martinez in the fifth inning – pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

“I was really happy that Lindsey Herrin came in and she did a great job. … We’re going to need Lindsey to step up for us at the end of the season,” Crowe said.”

Although Iowa State did have some positive things happen, the focus after the game was on the lack of drive the Cyclones showed.

“We didn’t come out like we should against Iowa, or any team for that matter,” said Iowa State’s Julia Lindsey who had three hits in the game.

“We were just kind of flat. It wasn’t like it was as important as it should of been.”

Despite the lopsided score, Iowa State and Iowa aren’t strangers to great games.

Last season, Iowa State went to Iowa City and pulled off a 6-4 upset over the Hawkeyes and every year before that has been just as exciting.

Long-time Iowa coach Gayle Blevins said those are the type of games both coaches have come to expect.

“I think it’s always a good rivalry. You’ve got in-state kids at in-state schools. A lot of them know each other, they play against each other, or they have in the past,” she said.

“It’s always just a real good rivalry.”