The Eastern softball lineup has put up some pretty big numbers on offense this season, scoring in the double-digits three times already, all while having seven players hitting over .300 on the roster.

But, those bats will meet some tough pitching competition when the team heads to Starkville, Miss, for the Mississippi State Spring tournament this weekend.

Eastern is slated to face the likes of Mississippi State and Southern Illinois Carbondale in its first two games of the tournament, both of those teams boast team earned run averages of under 1.70.

The first test for Eastern in the tournament will be its matchup with Southern Illinois on Friday morning.

The Panthers’ lineup will not face an easy task in the game, as they will likely have to face one of the two aces the Salukis have on their roster in Savanna Dover (0.64 ERA, 16 K) or Brianna Jones (1.22 ERA, 27 K).

While their pitching is arguably their best asset, the Salukis have been no push over on offense either this season.

Led by Merri Anne Patterson (.364 avg, 12 RBIs) and Haley Andrus (.357 avg, .437 OBP), Southern Illinois has a respectable .286 team batting average and has five players hitting over .300.

Tasked with stopping this lineup, Eastern head coach Kim Schuette will stick to her top pitchers and have Michelle Rogers (1.44 ERA) or Jessica Wireman (5.31) continue to soak up most of the innings this weekend.

However, Schuette would also like to see some other pitchers get work in during the tournament.

“Right now Jess (Wireman) and Michelle (Rogers) are probably our one and two, switching back and forth,” Schuette said. “Actually I like to call them both our number ones. But I’d like to see Allison (Golic), Katie (Grunert) or Tori (Johnson) kind of emerge and bulk up their innings a little bit and give them some more confidence.”

Last weekend, Eastern faced a Power 5 Conference team in the Big 12’s Kansas and were beaten 4-0. This week, the Panthers hope to change the narrative against power five SEC school Mississippi State.

“If we are going to continue to improve as a program, we have to be able to beat those teams, not just be flattered to be on the field.Part of that mentality is taken care of before you even get on the field,” Shuette said.

“Last weekend I think there was a little bit of awe factor in playing Kansas, and somehow they pickpocketed us in the first inning and we were behind. We kind of talk about respect all, fear none, and take that mentality this weekend. So, it will be interesting. It is not easy playing an SEC team on their turf, but at the end of the day when they say play ball, it is two teams, same age, same sized ball going at it.”

Much like the Salukis, the Bulldogs throw a potent pitching staff at opponents. Alexis Silkwood is the headliner of that staff; she has a 0.83 ERA and has held the opposition to just a .190 batting average in 33.2 innings pitched this season.

Coupled with her is the trio of Regan Green (1.05 ERA), Cassady Knudsen (2.10 ERA) and Holly Ward (2.80).

What the Bulldogs gain in pitching strength, they surrender on offense.

Mississippi State has a mere .324 on-base percentage as a team and is sitting with a low .313 slugging percentage.

The Panthers are also scheduled to have a rematch on Sunday with North Florida, who they beat 14-12 last weekend at the North Florida tournament.

JJ Bullock can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]