After losing two games to Nebraska on Wednesday, the Cyclone softball team will take on Baylor this weekend.

The Cyclones (15-24, Big 12 0-6) will face Baylor (32-6, Big 12 5-1) three times over the weekend, beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Waco, Texas.

After a set of difficult games, the Cyclones fell to Nebraska on Wednesday evening. They dropped the first game 5-3 and the second 2-1. 

The Nebraska games were not their first losses, either. The Cyclones have now lost eight consecutive games.

“I think that we’ve done a good job of not letting it make us negative or down on ourselves,” freshman infielder Sami Williams said. “[The team] continues to fight and play and focus on what we can control.”

Winning the Baylor games will not be an easy task for the Cyclones. Not only does Baylor hold a better season record than Iowa State’s current record, but they are also ranked No. 13 in the NCAA.

“I’m very excited about Baylor because it’s conference and we want a challenge to try to win games and hopefully the series,” freshman infielder Talyn Lewis said. “I expect to see good competition through both teams.”

The Cyclones began their losing streak when they played Texas Tech over the weekend of March 24, when they dropped all three games. They next faced No. 11 Oklahoma over the weekend of March 31.

Lewis credited some of the issues the team had playing Texas Tech and Oklahoma to season-long problems. For example, she believed that staying consistent in games is something the team struggles with.

Head coach Jamie Trachsel said that although there are things the team needs to work on, they have also been consistently good in other areas. She said that players are staying engaged throughout the games.

Trachsel also said Baylor will likely be a challenge for the Cyclones.

“This is probably our most challenging two weeks with Oklahoma and Nebraska and Baylor,” Trachsel said.

Although the team has been playing rough games over the last few weeks, this does not stop Trachsel from believing in her team. She said that playing these games has made the players more prepared for the next, and she has noticed growth.

“They’re investment days and situations,” Trachsel said. “They’re going to pay off for us, and hopefully sooner than later. We’re putting in the work, putting in the time, being diligent about what we can gain out of every situation and things will come together for us.”