The ISU softball team got on the board first and never looked back on their way to a 7-3 win over Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas Saturday afternoon.

The Cyclones exploded for five runs in the fourth inning, using some solid hits and a key mental error by Texas Tech to take a 5-0 lead.

Lauren Cathey started off the inning for Iowa State with a walk followed by two consecutive singles by Kimi Yoshizawa and Morgan LeCluyse to load the bases.

Amberly Lessenger delivered under pressure with a RBI single to leftfield, scoring pinch runner Ashley Core and giving Iowa State the 1-0 lead.

A fielding error by Texas Tech with two outs in the inning allowed two more runs to come in.

Iowa State finished up the scoring in the inning on another mental mistake by Texas Tech after a hit by Julia Lindsey, which should of been a routine out, dropped into left center untouched, scoring two more Cyclones to make the score 5-0.

Iowa State got one more run in the top of the fifth inning after Yoshizawa singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single by LeCluyse making it 6-0.

Texas Tech answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning but Iowa State added an insurance run off another RBI single by Lindsey to give the Cyclones a 7-3 advantage.

Jen Bice pitched the complete game for the Cyclones, allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out five to earn her ninth win of the season.

Lindsey and Yoshizawa were the main offensive weapons for Iowa State, each smacking three hits while LeCluyse, Lessenger and Erica Martinez added two apiece. Adi Blackmon also contributed a hit for the winners.

The win improves Iowa State’s record to 14-24 overall, and 2-10 in the Big 12 while Texas Tech dropped to 30-19 with a 8-7 conference record.

The Cyclones will take finals week off before heading to Lincoln, Neb. Sunday, May 6 to play the Cornhuskers in the last regular season matchup of the year. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m