Wrapping up an 11-game home stand, the Iowa State baseball team hosted Northern Iowa in doubleheader action yesterday at Cap Timm Field.

The Cyclones fell to the visiting Panthers in game one, 10-4. In game two, play was suspended after the top of the fifth inning due to darkness.

“There were some bright spots, but I was very disappointed in the way we played the last inning of the first game,” Head Coach Lyle Smith said.

Iowa State opened the scoring in the first game, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Senior catcher Guye Senjem singled and senior first baseman Chris Grubb doubled to right center, driving in Senjem. UNI responded in its half of the third when the Panthers scored three runs on three hits, one questionably called a fair ball down the first baseline, that resulted in two runs.

The Cyclones came back in the fourth with two runs of their own to tie the score at three apiece. Junior third baseman Bill Uelmen singled, then moved to third on a Senjem double. Uelmen scored on a past ball with Senjem moving to third. Grubb belted a sacrifice fly to score Senjem and tie the game.

The contest was knotted at three heading into the top of the seventh inning when the roof fell in on the Cyclones. Northern Iowa scored seven runs on eight hits against two ISU pitchers to take a seven-run lead into ISU’s half of the inning. The Panthers sent 11 batters to the plate and hit six singles, a double and a home run in the inning to put the Cyclones in a deep hole with one at-bat left.

“We had it set up and Scott Grawe did a good job and got us to our stopper. If we get the soft roller up the middle, that’s one out — then we’ve got a chance. But all of a sudden we couldn’t shut it off and we started breaking down and things happened,” Smith said.

The Cyclones put themselves in yet a deeper hole, opening the bottom of the seventh with two consecutive outs. Senjem continued his hot streak by belting a solo home run to deep center field in the bottom of the seventh, but the brief Cyclone rally ended with a ground ball to second base, ending the disheartening loss.

Senjem was the offensive bright spot in game one going 3-for-3 with a home run, a walk, three runs scored and an RBI.

“I was relaxed, knew the count and got the pitch I wanted, and didn’t miss it when they gave it to me. They’ll usually make a couple of mistakes and you just have to get all over those,” Senjem said.

“Guye’s work habits have been outstanding and it’s really pleasing to see someone who has worked so hard to prepare have the success that he deserves; he’s been playing very well,” Smith said.

Iowa State used five pitchers in the game, with junior pitcher Steve Larkin taking the loss for the Cyclones. Larkin’s record fell to 2-2 on the season.

The Cyclones opened game two on the right foot when senior center fielder Mike Bahun led off the contest with a solo home run to left field, his third homer of the year. ISU held a 1-0 lead after the first. Junior pitchers Nathan Teut and Shawn Sedlacek held the Panthers scoreless through the fourth inning as they combined to allow only three hits.

In the bottom of the fourth the Cyclones added another run as Senjem struck again, belting his second home run of the day deep over the scoreboard in right center field. The shot, Senjem’s fifth of the season, gave ISU a 2-0 lead heading into the fifth inning.

Northern Iowa once again came back when its back was against a wall and scored three runs in the top of the fifth on three hits to take a one-run lead.

The umpires then suspended play due to darkness because there are no lights at Cap Timm Field.

The game may be continued at a later date, if so desired by both coaches.

“I had pretty good counts to hit in, so there was about a 90 percent chance that I was getting a fast ball and that’s what I got and I was able to hit them today,” Senjem said.

Senjem continued his solid hitting into game two as he went 2-for-2 with a home run, a run scored and an RBI.

“Hopefully you learn something from each loss; every performance whether you win or lose, you have to go back and evaluate what you did and didn’t do and that’s the only way to improve on your next performance. This is a very humbling game and sometimes we may not be as mentally tough as we need to be in all phases of the game,” Smith said.

The Cyclones travel to College Station, Texas, April 5-6 for a three- game series with Texas A&M. The next home competition is scheduled for April 8 against Minnesota.