The Northern Iowa Panthers spoiled Iowa State’s home opener by sweeping the Cyclones 5-4 and 5-3 in a two game series.

In the opening game, the Panthers jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first inning with the aid of a costly error committed by the Cyclones.

Mandy Loushin was relieved by Kristin Ferguson after only 2/3 innings of work.

Iowa State managed to trim the lead to 4-2 after scoring single runs in both the first and second innings.

Northern Iowa extended its lead to 5-2 after adding another run in the top of the fifth.

Jessica Polo helped trim the deficit to 5-4 in the sixth inning, but that is all the Cyclones could muster as that proved to be the final score.

Polo lead the Cyclone attack with a double and home run, which led to three RBIs.

“In the first game I felt like we should have hit much better than we did,” head coach Ruth Crowe said. “Jessica Polo showed up to play today, but our pitching was kind of a disappointment.”

Lisa Frank, Robyn Riedler and Erin Woods also added hits with Woods picking up an RBI.

The second game of the double header showed some promise after ISU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first. Both teams were held scoreless until the Panthers broke through in the fourth inning for two runs.

Kimi Yoshizawa started the Cyclone rally in the fifth by singling to right field. Laura Browning added a single of her own to advance Amy Crittendon to third, who was pinch running for Yoshizawa.

Some heads up baserunning allowed Browning to advance to second, before Woods ripped a two out single to plate both runners.

However, the Cyclone lead was short lived as Kylie Sloan poked a double to the left-center field gap to score two runs and give UNI a 4-3 lead. Beth Scheetz extended the Panther lead to 5-3 after leading off the seventh inning with a solo shot.

Yoshizawa started off the bottom of the seventh with a double to the right-center field fence, but that is all ISU could come up with to end the game in a 5-3 loss.

“Defensively we made a few mistakes, but that wasn’t our problem. Our lack of effort at the plate was the problem because our hits were few and far between,” Crowe said.

Yoshizawa and Frank collected two hits apiece to lead the Cyclone attack. Browning, Woods, Polo and Cinnamon Gooding all recorded hits while Tacy Riddle was saddled with the loss.

The Cyclones drop to 12-20 overall and hope to rebound tomorrow when they host the Iowa Hawkeyes.

“Hopefully, against Iowa we will come out here with a better attitude and will be ready to play,” Crowe said.

The Hawkeyes will invade ISU at 3 p.m. for the first game of the double header.