The Iowa State softball team will begin Big 12 play this weekend against Oklahoma State University. The Cyclones will play against the Cowgirls in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in their last road trip before returning home to play the University of Texas.

The Cowgirls have been putting on a strong performance this season. They are currently ranked 24th in the NCAA with a 21-6 record.

“[The Cowgirls] are really good,” said head coach Jamie Pinkerton.

Just how good are the Cowgirls?

They are currently 12-1 in the last 13 games and are undefeated so far at home. At home they have outscored their opponents 69-8. Their last lost came to them during their last time out on Wednesday against Tulsa.

Last season against the Cowgirls, Iowa State finished with a 1-2 record while hosting Oklahoma State. 

“We just need to focus on what we do well,” Pinkerton said.

The Cyclones have some secret weapons of their own.

Sophomore Sami Williams and junior Taylor Nearad have been making names for themselves.

Williams is tied for 24th in home runs in the NCAA. She has nine home runs on the season, 20 RBIs and a .398 batting average early this season. 

“Usually if there’s a lot of success that we have offensively [Williams is] in the middle of it,” Pinkerton said.

Nearad is currently tied for first in the NCAA for doubles with 13 this season.

It’s Nearad’s first year playing Division I softball and she is already making waves in the NCAA. Nearad transferred in from Kirkwood Community College after being named the NJCAA Division II National Player of the Year.

“I’m looking forward to playing really good competition because at junior college level we didn’t really have a ton of big competition,” Nearad said. 

The Cyclones are set to play their first Big 12 competitors this season, which includes some of the toughest pitchers in the country.

Oklahoma State is currently third in the Big 12 for team pitching with a 2.29 earned run average. Iowa State is currently last in the Big 12 for team pitching with a 3.12 team earned run average.

“I’m excited to see the different pitchers and the different speeds and having more of a challenge,” Nearad said.

The Cyclones have a challenging weekend ahead of them.

“We are going to show up and play ball … it’s time to find out where we are in the Big 12,” Pinkerton said. “We need to focus on what we do well.”