The Iowa State softball team came out of the gate on fire in its doubleheader with Kansas Tuesday afternoon.

Freshman Erin Woods led the Cyclone attack with two doubles, two RBI’s and a run scored.

Iowa State lead-off hitter Angie Balakshin doubled in the first inning and was doubled home by Woods.

The Cyclones struck again in the third inning. Wendy Walls walked to start the inning.

Woods doubled again, sending Walls across the plate and giving Iowa State a 2-0 lead.

Woods would reach third on a passed ball and then steal home to put the Cyclones in command for good.

Iowa State pitcher Courtney Dully held the Jayhawks scoreless for the first four innings, recording six strikeouts before being relieved by Debbie Nease, who recorded the save.

The 3-2 win improved Dully’s record to 7-5.

The Cyclones managed to collect eight hits in game two but could post only a single run.

This time it was the Jayhawks who stormed out to the early lead, scoring three runs in the first inning and chasing Cyclone starter Lynea Backlund from the game.

Kansas continued its attack, this time victimizing reliever Jeannie Lobel for four runs over the next three innings.

Nease would come on in the fourth and shut out the Jayhawks for the last three innings.

The Cyclones started a rally in the bottom of the seventh when Jane Wagner opened with a single.

Freshman Raven Coberg followed with a single of her own. Missy Danilson came on to pinch run for Coberg and was knocked in by a Balakshin single.

This was the only run the Cyclones could muster however, with Kansas coming out on top 7-1.

On Wednesday, the Cyclones were swept by the Minnesota Golden Gophers in a non-conference twin-bill, dropping game one 5-3 and game two 8-3.

Nease started the game on the mound for the Cyclones and surrendered a run in the second inning and another in the third before getting the hook in favor of Dully.

However, Nease would more than account for the Gopher runs in the fourth inning.

Dully struck out the only hitter she faced in the third and proceeded to strike out the side in the fourth. Walls walked to lead off the Cyclone half of the fourth.

Woods then reached on an error that sent Walls to third.

Nease combined her lethal bat speed with a strong wind blowing out to left field to take Minnesota pitcher Jennifer Johnson deep, over the 190 sign, for a three-run shot.

“I was just trying to make contact,” Nease said. “I wanted to relax and put the ball in play.”

Unfortunately for the Cyclones, Nease’s play would account for their only runs of the game as the Gophers triumphed 5-3.

The loss dropped Dully’s record to 7-6.

Game two featured plenty of offense, including another display of Nease’s power at the plate. Lobel started the game for Iowa State and got off to a rocky start, allowing five runs in the second inning, and was replaced by Backlund.

The Cyclones wasted no time in starting their offense when Balakshin singled to center in the bottom of the first.

Walls followed with a double to right, but Balakshin was thrown out at third.

Batting in the third spot, Woods singled to right sending Walls to third.

Woods stole second, but the Gophers managed to escape without any Cyclones crossing the plate.

In the Cyclone half of the third, Balakshin once again led off with a single.

Nease stepped up to the plate and crushed an offering from Minnesota hurler Steph Klaviter well beyond the fence in left-center field to pull the Cyclones within three, 5-2.

Iowa State managed to hold the Gophers scoreless in the top of the fourth, due mostly to a pair of spectacular catches by left fielder Mindy Penrod.

“We have been looking for someone to step up in that position and she’s really worked hard,” Iowa State Head Softball Coach Debbie Kuhn said.

After allowing Minnesota one run in the top of the fifth, the Cyclones answered in their half of the inning.

Balakshin walked and advanced to second on a single by Walls. Balakshin was driven in by Woods.

This would be the last Cyclone run scored in the game as Minnesota would go on to post the victory 8-3.

Lobel’s record fell to 2-5. Klaviter continued her impressive season, improving to 20-1 on the year.

The Cyclones played Wednesday without starting catcher Brenna Miller, who was diagnosed with pneumonia.

Woods, normally a starter in center field, turned in a solid performance behind the plate while Miller took time off from the non-conference meeting with the Gophers to rest.

“We wanted Brenna to have a couple of days off before going to Missouri for a big series this weekend,” Kuhn said.

“We also want to get Erin some innings behind the plate.”

Woods continued to produce at the plate and threw out a runner on first with a heads-up play in the sixth inning of game one.

The Cyclone’s record now stands at 16-22 overall with a conference mark of 6-10.

Both coach and players agree that the team is capable of much more.

“We just need to keep at it and not get discouraged,” Kuhn said. “We need to capitalize on our chances and keep working hard.”

Nease expects the team to be more than ready for the Big 12 tournament May 10-12.

“We could really explode at the tournament,” Nease said. “No one team is running away with the conference. The standings are close and any one team can beat any other team on a given day.”

The Cyclones travel to Columbia this weekend for a three game Big 12 Conference set with the Missouri Tigers.