Low-scoring games highlighted the double header Wednesday between the ISU softball team and the Missouri Tigers.

ISU split the two games, dropping the first, 2-1, in eight innings and taking the night cap, 2-0.

The Cyclones improved to 11-17 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12 conference while the Tigers currently stand at 22-19 and 2-4 in the Big 12.

“We had very good pitching and defense,” head coach Ruth Crowe said. “When you take out Oklahoma and probably Nebraska, the rest of our conference is very competitive. You’re going to be seeing low-scoring games with good defense and good pitching.”

Missouri got on the board first in game one when Melanie Fisher used a prime opportunity to get her second home run of the season. Fisher recorded the solo shot in the bottom of the second inning to give Missouri a 1-0 lead.

Iowa State got a home run of their own in the top of the third as catcher Mindy Ogan recorded her first of the season to tie the game at 1-1.

The Cyclones saw the game go into extra innings only to lose in the bottom of the eighth on a RBI single by Tiger third basemen Rachel McGinnis.

“I really feel we had an opportunity to get a win in that first game. We just didn’t come up with the hits when we needed them,” Crowe said. “We had our chances in the seventh and eighth innings, but couldn’t come up with a hit. That was a little disappointing.”

Jen Bice recorded the loss on the mound for the Cyclones, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out two.

Senior Kimi Yoshizawa had a big game at the plate going 2-3. Adi Blackmon also had two hits for the Cyclones while Laura Browning, Kristin Shipley and Ogan each contributed one.

Bice again took on the pitching duties in the second game of the night, giving up five hits in the 2-0 shutout for the Cyclones.

“Jen Bice has pitched our last three games,” Crowe said, “and she’s really responded well.”

Iowa State was able to get on the board first in the second game, scoring one run in the top of the fourth inning.

Browning led off the inning with a single, and later advanced to second on a Blackmon ground out. Browning was able to give the Cyclones a 1-0 lead by stealing third and then scoring on a wild pitch.

The Cyclones were able to put another run on the board in the seventh inning.

Ogan led off the inning with a single. Freshman Ashley Core was brought in as a pinch runner for Ogan and advanced to second when Shipley reached first on a error. The runners both moved up a base on a Rainey Eanes ground out. Core scored on a fielder’s choice to give Iowa State the 2-0 lead.

Bice preserved the win in the bottom of the seventh inning to bring her overall record to 6-8 on the year.

Browning paced the Cyclone offense going 2-3 at the plate. Blackmon and Ogan also contributed a hit in the win.

Overall, Crowe said she was happy with her team’s performance.

“I thought the difference in the second game was some big defensive plays,” Crowe said. “Rainey Eanes, Julia Lindsey, Lauren Cathey and Kimi Yoshizawa all had big defensive plays and played real well for us.”

Crowe said that although their record may not reflect it, the Cyclones are playing really well right now and facing tough competition.

“Everybody’s good in our area,” she said. “Our philosophy is we want to play against the best, all the time. That’s why we’ve been playing all the ranked teams.”

Crowe said that the Cyclones will prove themselves as the season goes on, especially in the Big 12 conference.

“We’re a pretty good team,” she said. “We’ve been playing well all year. Our defense has always been good, and our pitching is really stepping up.”

The Cyclones return to action Saturday and Sunday when they travel to College Station, Texas to take on Texas A&M in a Big 12 conference matchup.