Giving up early leads hurt Iowa State (7-5) softball as it dropped its first two games of the Samford/UAB Tournament Friday in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Cyclones allowed four runs in the first game of the day against Indiana (3-7), while allowing six in the first inning to Samford (3-8).

Sophomore Emma Hylen got the nod at pitcher to open up the tournament for the Cyclones.

Three of the four Hoosier runs in the first inning were unearned, aided by two Cyclone errors.

Savannah Sanders entered the game in the top of the second to relieve Hylen. Sanders held the Hoosiers scoreless for the rest of the game. Indiana failed to record a hit against Sanders in the remaining five innings and 16 at-bats.

Iowa State got on the scoreboard for the first time in the top of the fourth inning. Kelsey McFarland opened up the hitting for the Cyclones with a single to left field. She then stole her fifth base of the season to get into scoring position. Talyn Lewis hit a ball to right-center field to bring home McFarland and cut into the Hoosier lead.

The Cyclones had another opportunity to score in the fifth inning but left two runners stranded as they fell to the Hoosiers 4-1.

Iowa State squared off against Samford in game two of the day. Sanders was given the starting job at pitcher, but was unable to continue her success of the previous game.

Samford tallied six hits and a walk before Brianna Weilbacher entered the game for the Cyclones in relief of Sanders. The Bulldogs totaled six runs in the first inning, placing the Cyclones in another large hole.

Talyn Lewis and Kaylee Bosworth each hit a solo homerun for the Cyclones in the top of the second and seventh innings.

The early deficit would prove too much for the Cyclones to overcome as they fell to the Bulldogs 6-2.

Up next, the Cyclones will return to action against UAB at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.