The Iowa State baseball team warmed up for today’s in-state rivalries with a 6-2 victory over Winona State on Tuesday.

In preparation for the upcoming games, the Cyclones looked to move runners around the basepaths with sacrifice bunts and fly balls.

The team also attempted its first suicide squeeze on the year, and it was successful — sort of.

With leadoff hitter Aaron Runk on third with one out in the seventh inning and ISU center fielder Tom Wierzbicki at the plate, ISU Manager Lyle Smith flashed the squeeze sign.

Runk took off on the pitcher’s wind-up, but Wierzbicki, who missed the sign, swung away as Runk neared home plate. Wierzbicki connected, lofting a pop fly into short right field for a base hit. Runk scored to increase the ISU lead to 5-1.

ISU Assistant Coach Jim Murphy said he hopes that miscue turned good fortune is a sign of things to come.

“Hopefully, some things [like that] will go our way the next few days,” he said.

ISU’s pitching was solid against the Warriors. Freshman hurler Jeremy Taylor threw five strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits. Darin Nelson came in to relieve Taylor in the middle innings to record his first win of the season.

Murphy said the performances were encouraging to see, especially with Taylor.

“Jeremy got a quality start. He needs to have success to build his confidence up,” he said.

Nelson struck out four batters in his three innings of work. He also gave up one run on three hits.

Another encouraging sight was that ISU was able to come up with a victory against a left-hander, something that has been difficult thus far this season.

“I think the deal with lefties is just in some of the guys’ heads,” Murphy said.

Offensively, the Cyclones were led by their 2-3-4 hitters. Wiezrbicki, Shawn Leimbek and Matt McDonough each had two-hit afternoons.

Both of Leimbek’s hits were opposite-field doubles. The right-handed swinger said that hitting the other way is his main focus.

“I’ve always done that,” he said. “It’s my strength. “

Last weekend against Kansas State, Leimbek knocked two balls over the right field wall for his fourth and fifth home runs of the year.

“I’ve been driving it pretty good lately,” he said.

But Leimbek has been hitting well for longer than just the last week. The senior first baseman is currently batting .412 and is looking to become the first Cyclone to bat over .400 since Tom Vantiger in 1991.

“It’d be great,” he said of the chance at cracking the magic mark. “It’s nothing to put pressure on. If it happens, it happens.”

Leimbek’s batting average has continued to soar above the “Ted Williams’ line” even though he has battled a hamstring injury over the past few games. He said that he is about 90 percent right now.

Also in Tuesday’s contest, ISU closer Steve Larkin tied a record by making his 76th career appearance on the mound. Chris Zima also took the hill in an Cyclone uniform 76 times from 1985-88.

“It’s a good record to have,” Larkin said. “It’s indicative of how were playing.”

“I’d like to have it [tonight] against Iowa.”

Leimbek said the games against Northern Iowa and Iowa are important for a couple big reasons: the two R’s, recruiting and revenge.

Today’s matinee against UNI will be a chance for ISU to get revenge from a 7-1 loss earlier this season in Cedar Falls. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Sec Taylor Stadium in Des Moines.

The Hawkeyes will be the revenge-seekers in game two, a 7 p.m. start, after falling to the Cyclones 8-3 in sloppy Iowa City weather on April 8.