The ISU softball team is preparing to open Big 12 conference play this weekend against defending champion Oklahoma. The Sooners are currently ranked fifth in the nation and are likely to prove a tough test for the Cyclones.

The Cyclones enter the weekend after an excellent offensive game against Northern Iowa, in which they won 12-4 in only five innings. They also amassed a whopping 13 hits as a team.

This type of offensive performance has started to become a regular occurrence for the team during its recent games. This improved effort at the plate appears to be a testament to all of the hard work in practice as the Cyclones gear up for much tougher opponents.

“We’ve really started to work on specific things,” said senior shortstop Lexi Slater. “We haven’t been able to leave until we hit a certain amount of line drives, and until all infielders take 100 ground balls each.”

The Cyclones are going to need all of this preparation to have a chance at taking down the defending champs. No. 5 Oklahoma boasts an impressive 29-5 record, including a 10-0 mark at home. The Sooners are entering the game on a five-game winning streak.

“This game is a great opportunity for us to show where we’re at because we have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” said ISU coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler.

The ISU leadership on the team has developed a strategy to go along with the coaches’ mentality in an attempt to make sure the team can come out focused against every opponent.

“We’ve really tried to not let the underclassman really know,” Slater said. “They’re going to know they’re ranked, but we want them to go out and play with adrenaline and go out and take some ball games.” 

The Cyclones have been on a roll lately, winning five of their last seven games. The offense has been propelled by Slater, who has been red hot in her last nine games, batting .500 with four homeruns and 14 RBIs.

“I’ve just been trying to get the most out of my at bats,” Slater said. “With my career beginning to wind down, I want to make each one count.”

The Cyclones will open their series in Norman, Okla. at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The series will continue throughout the weekend, with the second game scheduled at 12 p.m. Saturday and the final game at 2 p.m. Sunday.