The ISU softball team managed a comeback victory in a double-header to avoid being swept by Oklahoma State. After a rough start to the series, the Cyclones showed resolve and were able to right the ship after two losses to the Cowgirls.

The Cyclones couldn’t seem to catch a break in the first two games. They were run off the field in their first matchup, getting dominated in almost every facet of the game. The Cowgirls held the Cyclones scoreless until the final inning of the shortened game.

That final inning run may have seemed like a moot point, but in retrospect it may have galvanized the team for its coming games in the series. The Cyclones would come out firing in the second game, scoring three right out of the gate. Even though they would come up short thanks to a three-run sixth inning by the Cowgirls, the Cyclones showed the necessary grit that any team needs to be successful.

With all the building momentum, it might have appeared the Cyclones were poised for another quick start and possibly a substantial victory. That plan of action was quickly derailed when starting pitcher Katie Johnson was pulled after giving up three runs in the first.

The pitching change swung the game in the Cyclones’ favor, when senior Stacy Roggentien took the mound. She was brilliant, only allowing three hits for the remainder of the game.

“Coach always tells me to just be ready, so when things went wrong, I was warmed up and ready to play with my usual confidence,” Roggentien said.

After the rough start, the offense seemed to click. The Cyclones finally got on the board in the third, and got over the hump in the sixth. The Cyclones erupted for the deciding four runs, pulling out a 5-1 comeback.

“We finally started to hit out spots,” said junior centerfielder Brittany Gomez. “We started to play our game that inning.”

This display of will was a huge momentum boost for the team, and kept Iowa State from digging a bigger hole in the loss column. The Cyclones entered their final game against the Cowgirls on a six-game losing streak.

“It’s always good to get out of a slump, but what really matters is what you can do with a fresh start,” said ISU coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler.

The Cyclones are back in action Wednesday against the Hawkeyes. The game has extra meaning, not only because it is a rivalry game, but because it will be the deciding factor in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series.