Coach Tracy Bunge knew the Iowa State softball team had greatly improved since the first time her team played the Cyclones this season.

The two teams met in early March and Kansas won 7-4.

But after checking scores and talking to people, Bunge witnessed Iowa State’s progress first hand on Saturday in Ames, Iowa.

The Jayhawks (32-23-1, 7-11 Big 12 Conference) were swept by the Cyclones (24-39, 3-15) in a doubleheader on Saturday, losing 8-0 and 3-2. Kansas heads into the Big 12 Championship with a five-game losing streak.

The teams were scheduled to play one game on Saturday and one game on Sunday, but due to the chances of bad weather on Sunday the teams played a doubleheader on Saturday.

In the first game, the Cyclones offense forced senior pitcher Kassie Humphreys (18-14) to a quick but long outing.

In her 134th game, tied for fourth place on Kansas’ career appearance list, Humphreys went 1 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs on seven hits.

After two innings of play, the score was 7-0.

Offensively, the team couldn’t get anything going against Cyclone senior pitcher Alyssa Ransom.

Ransom threw a complete game, allowing only two hits.

In the second game, Iowa State struck first, putting up one run in the first inning.

In the five-game losing streak, Kansas failed to put the first run on the board.

When Kansas scores first, the team is 26-3.

Iowa State added two in the bottom of the fourth and the Kansas offense finally showed life at the top of the fifth.

Sophomore third baseman Val Chapple hit her first home run of the season to put the score at 3-1 and sophomore Stevie Crisosto hit a bases-loaded single to put the score 3-2.

The fifth-inning rally fell short when sophomore catcher Elle Pottorf hit into a double play to end the inning.

Freshman Sarah Vertelka (5-5) replaced Humphreys and started the game for the Jayhawks, throwing for two innings.

Sophomore Valerie George came into relief for the remainder of the game and struck out two.

The Jayhawks will once again have another shot at the Cyclones. Kansas plays Iowa State in the first round of the Big 12 Championships on Thursday in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Kansan sportswriter Evan Kafarakis can be contacted at ekafarakis@kansan.com.

— Edited by Katie Sullivan