The Cyclones have lost 10 consecutive games, with their last win coming over two weeks ago against Indiana State. 

As if being on a double-digit losing streak wasn’t bad enough, Iowa State has lost plenty of these games late, some even in the final inning. The latest loss being a 6-4 loss to Omaha on Thursday. 

Iowa State was leading the game, 4-3, heading into the final inning. 

Cyclones allowed the Mavericks to score three runs in the bottom of the 6th inning, giving Omaha a 6-4 lead. 

Pitcher Emma Hylen was throwing great before the 6th inning, striking out four in her three innings of work. But it was soft hits and out-of-position defenders that allowed the Mavericks to squeak in their three runs late. 

“I just think we need to make some plays,” said coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler, “We had a couple squirt through, some runners took some extra bases when we weren’t hitting cuts. Basically, we just need to execute the 7th when it’s our game to win there.”

Executing is something Gemeinhardt-Cesler has been stressing all season, but with only three seniors on this team, 2016 has been a learning process. 

However, the Cyclones have stayed positive throughout this rough patch by focusing on what they can improve instead of getting down on themselves. 

“You have to just focus on what the specific task at hand is and go for it,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “And forget about everything that is bad in the past, and just look forward and know that the next play and know its going to be good”

Along with the sub-par pitching and defensive performance, Iowa State has been inconsistent at the plate as well.

The team scored all four of their runs in the first inning, and nobody beside shortstop Nychole Antillon hit the ball well after the first. 

Antillon was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while also playing stellar defense at shortstop. 

“I love outside pitches, so when they gave them to me, I was hitting them,” Antillon said. 

The sophomore infielder and her teammates are aware things are not going well, and even though they might not all say it, are all struggling with this losing streak.

But the team is confident in each other’s abilities to do their job, and do it well enough to finish and win games.

“It’s frustrating.” Antillon said, “That last inning always comes back to bite us. But we’ll learn from it.”