Coming off a big win against Northern Iowa, the Cyclone softball team is preparing for its next competition.

The Cyclones (19-32, 3-12 Big 12) will face Western Illinois (19-27, 10-5 Summit League) in a double-header at the Cyclone Sports Complex on Saturday. First pitch is set for 11 a.m.

Iowa State has not played Western Illinois since 2012. Although the two teams have the same amounts of wins for the season, they have had different results in recent matches. The Cyclones have won three out of their last four games, while the Leathernecks have lost three out of their most recent four.

The Cyclones are coming off a 15-4 defeat of UNI, a game that only lasted four innings. Before playing UNI, Iowa State beat Texas in a three-game series — the first time in program history. 

“What I really loved about [the UNI game] is actually we took advantage with two outs, we scored eight runs on two outs,” head coach Jamie Trachsel said. “Then they countered with a couple runs. We actually answered every single inning that they scored and I thought that was a big growing moment for us.”

This recent boost in wins has left an effect on some of the players as well. Junior Kaila Konz said winning the last few games has helped build up confidence for the team.

“Getting those wins has brought our confidence up,” Konz said. “It doesn’t really feel like we’re doing anything different, it’s just the results are coming now.”

This confidence is what some team members are hoping to take into the games on Saturday. Konz noted that another thing that could help the team is coming into each game with the same mentality.

“I feel like we’ve been approaching every team the same which is good,” Konz said. “There have been times when we haven’t done that and it’s kind of blown up in our face, so I think now that we’re approaching every team in the same way that it’s really helped.”

Regardless of how the Cyclones have approached some of the teams, the players are excited for the chance to play Western Illinois.

“The last four games have been super result-based and given us more confidence,” sophomore Kirsten Caudle said. “I think [Western Illinois] is a good match-up for us, and trusting the process and doing what we do in practice to take it out on the field.”