Cyclones softball team returns home to face Oklahoma State
Emma Hylen pitches during game between ISU and Iowa, as a part of the Big Four Classic (a tournament between Iowa State, Iowa, Northern Iowa, and Drake) on Oct. 4, 2015.
April 13, 2017
After a long spell of losses, Iowa State softball coach Jamie Trachsel is ready to turn around the season.
The Cyclones (15-28, 0-9 Big 12) have now lost 12 consecutive games, however, they are set to return to their home turf to face Oklahoma State (26-15, 6-0 Big 12) this weekend.
Although the original schedule had one game on Friday afternoon and a doubleheader on Saturday, with rain in the forecast, the agenda changed Thursday afternoon.
The first game will now kick off Friday morning, with the first pitch set for 11 a.m. The two teams will play their doubleheader on Friday, with the second game starting about 30 minutes after the first ends. They will finish the series with a game starting at noon Saturday.
The Cyclones are coming off a 3-2 loss to Drake on Tuesday night, and while she was disappointed, pitcher Emma Hylen found positives from the game.
“Mid-week games are always tough, especially right in the middle of that grind of the season,” Hylen said. “Most of us had class that morning, and it’s hard to turn around and play a game. I think we stayed composed. We kept fighting, we kept attacking.”
Although the Cyclones haven’t been able to pull off a win in the last few weeks, players are still looking forward to the chance to play Oklahoma State.
“I’m excited because they’re a good team,” catcher Kaylee Bosworth said. “I’m excited to see how we bounce back from the last few weeks. I think we played well at Baylor and that didn’t exactly show through at the Drake game.”
Oklahoma State brings a set of challenges for the Cyclones. It has yet to lose a conference game, while the Cyclones are the opposite. Oklahoma State also has several left-handed batters.
Trachsel said she thinks after getting through playing teams like Oklahoma and Texas Tech, the rest of the season will be different. She also thinks the remaining games will feature the most consistent play the team will have the entire season.
“I think every conference series we’ve been playing better and better,” Hylen said. “I think coming up toward the end of this conference season, we’re going to start taking some games away from people.”
