Determined to put another win on the board, the ISU softball team battled through an intense game on Monday.

The team took on Indian Hills Community College in a modified 10-inning game, instead of the traditional double-header format. By the end of the game the Cyclones found themselves on top, winning 8-6.

“We have a lot to work on, but we have the whole fall season and all of spring to do it,” said senior Brittany Gomez. 

The Warriors led the game 4-0 through the top of the third inning. Junior Hope Scheffert hit in two runs in the bottom of the third inning for ISU, starting a chain reaction of run production. 

Four more Cyclones scored in the fourth inning following Scheffert’s two RBI’s, giving the Cyclones the 6-4 lead. The Warriors used a fielding error by the Cyclones in the fifth inning to tack on two more runs. 

“This is just feedback,” said ISU coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler. “We need to be doing our job better.”

The bottom of the fifth proved profitable for Iowa State as they pulled ahead 7-6. And after holding Indian Hills scoreless in the sixth inning, the Cyclones were able to add one more run, bringing their lead to 8-6.

No runs would be scored in the next three innings in an intense battle of the pitchers. With only a handful of base hits, neither team was able to get into a position to score through the end of the game, keeping the final score at 8-6.

And while the Cyclones don’t have any conference games in the fall, they still say these games matter — and ultimately do make a difference.

“We’re just getting better, and that’s what the fall season is all about,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said.