The ISU softball squad spent eight innings trying to upset their in-state rivals Wednesday, but ended up falling 4-3 to No. 14 Iowa in an afternoon nail-biter at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

The Cyclones were lead by senior Michelle Junod, who was 2-of-4 at the plate with one RBI.

The loss puts Iowa State at 3-25 for the year and 0-2 against the Hawkeyes.

A solo home run by Alicia Gerlach in the top of the second inning gave Iowa a 1-0 lead, but Cyclone sophomore Laura Browning scored on a bunt by senior Lisa Frank and sophomore pinch runner Adi Blackmon reached home on a Junod single to put Iowa State ahead 2-1.

Iowa came back to tie the game early in the fourth inning. Gerlach led off with a single, reached second on a sacrifice bunt, and was replaced by pinch runner Shaina Barnes, who scored on Kristi Hanks’ RBI single.

Iowa scored two more runs, including another home run by Gerlach, to give the Hawks a 4-2 lead at the top of the eighth inning.

Iowa State rallied back in the bottom of the eighth when sophomore Lauren Cathey doubled, sophomore pinch runner Amy Crittendon advanced to third on a double by sophomore Amberly Lessenger, and Crittendon scored on a sacrifice fly by Browning. But the Cyclones fell short as freshman Jill Hlavacek struck out to end the game.

Browning was 1-for-3 with one RBI and freshman Erica Martinez and Cathey also contributed a hit.

Senior Mandy Loushin (1-6) took the loss for the Cyclones, giving up four runs on nine hits and striking out three.

Iowa State dropped another non-conference game at home on Tuesday, falling to Creighton, 3-2. It was the third loss to Creighton of the season.

Neither team was on the board until the top of the fourth inning, when a solo home run gave the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead.

Creighton added two more runs in the top of the seventh off of a two-run double by pinch hitter Tammi Spiezio.

Senior Robyn Riedler’s double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh ignited a late-game surge. Senior Cinnamon Gooding walked, advancing Riedler to second, and both Riedler and Crittendon, running for Gooding, scored on a double by Cathey. Browning’s pop up to third base ended the game.

Junod said the late game rallies against Iowa and Creighton produce mixed feelings.

“It shows that we are getting hits and trying to make a comeback, but we need to start out the game like that,” she said. “Lately, it seems like we are taking a while to warm up, and that’s not good.”

Teammate Jen Bice agreed.

“I wish we would do that before the seventh inning. It would take a lot of pressure off of the pitchers,” she said.

Cathey and Lessenger were both 2-of-3 at the plate against Creighton, with Cathey contributing two RBIs. Junod, Riedler, and Gooding each added a hit. Freshman pitcher Jen Bice recorded the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits, striking out four.

In Big 12 competition, Iowa State took on Kansas in a doubleheader Saturday. The second game was originally scheduled for Sunday, but was moved to Saturday due to the threat of bad weather.

Junod said that playing a doubleheader can work either for or against the team.

“If you win the first one, I guess it can give you some kind of momentum,” she said. “But playing two games can sometimes make for a seven or eight hour day and that can get hard. Personally, I like it when we just have one game a day.”

In the first game, Jessica Polo, senior, and Lessenger both scored on an RBI single by junior Kimi Yoshizawa to take the early lead.

Iowa State held the 2-0 advantage until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Kansas scored four unanswered runs. Christy McPhail hit a three-run double, then scored on an error to give the Jayhawks the 4-2 victory.

The Cyclones were lead by Lessenger, who was 2-of-2 hitting, and Yoshizawa, who was 1-of-2 with one RBI. Senior Lisa Frank, Cathey and Polo each got a hit. Bice gave up four runs on as many hits, while fanning two.

In the nightcap, Kansas lead 2-0 after two innings of play. Another run in the bottom of the fourth off an RBI double made it 3-0, and Iowa State fell to 3-12 in the Big 12.

Hlavacek, Gooding and Riedler each added a hit for the Cyclones. Bice gave up two runs on three hits and reliever Mandy Loushin, senior, allowed one run on five hits, with two strike outs.

Junod said although the team’s main weakness is still hitting, there has been slight improvement.

“Our defense is very solid, pitching has stepped it up a level, and our hitting is slowly improving,” she said.

Bice said the pitching has gotten better, but needs to gain consistency.

“It seems like we come out strong in the beginning,” she said. “Usually our first and last innings are our best and we seem to struggle in the middle.”

Bice also said the team’s strategy right now is to move forward rather than dwelling on past games.

“We know we are capable. We just have to approach it one game at a time,” she said.

Junod agreed that the attitude remains optimistic.

“No matter what the outcome, our goal is to finish strong,” she said.

The Cyclones return to Big 12 action at home when they take on Texas Tech at 1 p.m. Saturday and noon on Sunday.