The ISU softball team is still reeling from devastating weekend losses to Texas Tech, but it hopes to get a confidence boost in a non-conference contest against Northern Iowa on Tuesday.

Iowa State dropped two games to the Red Raiders during the weekend, each contest coming down to the final inning. The losses hit the squad hard, but this week may be a chance for the team to redeem itself.

“We are still figuring out individually what it takes to come out and play 100 percent,” said infielder Jessica Quade. “We didn’t capitalize on opportunities and we weren’t determined enough at the plate. It will be a good game against Northern Iowa.”

The matchup will be the Cyclones’ second in the series of intrastate games this season. Iowa State previously defeated Drake at home and will attempt the same against the Bulldogs at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

Last year, the Cyclones dominated their first game against the Panthers, routing them 8-0. Catcher Ashley Killeen had a phenomenal game with two home runs, including a grand slam, and Misty Kimura also added a homer to the barrage.

A rematch two weeks later was proof of Iowa State’s power, as it overtook Northern Iowa 9-1. Kimura hit her fifth home run of the season to help snap a five-game losing streak for the Cyclones.

Though Iowa State coasted through wins last year, head coach Ruth Crowe said her team cannot overlook the Panthers this season.

“They are a very good team; I’d say they are a lot like Drake,” she said. “They’re a big rival, and they will really want to beat us because of us being in the Big 12.”

Northern Iowa suffered a 4-1 weekend loss to Creighton, which set the Panthers’ record back to 15-21. The Cyclones are 12-17 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12.

Senior Erin Strellner is hitting .394 to lead the Panthers, freshman Jamie Kelling follows Strellner with a .341 mark and Tracy Davis is averaging .302.

Sophomore Katie Reichling leads the Cyclones with an .318 average and two home runs on the year. Reichling and Killeen each have had 21 hits, and senior Kim Rodgers has blazed the bases for 11 runs and four triples.

Pitcher Alyssa Ransom is 6-10 on the season, and Reichling has a 6-5 standing.

Crowe said the Panthers are relatively unknown as far as what they have to offer, but she said her team is facing a challenge.

“They will be a scrappy team with decent pitching and good defense, and we expect them to actually be pretty similar to Texas Tech this weekend,” she said. “There’s nothing easy on our schedule this season.”