By Anthony Braviere

Staff Writer

Eastern will look to add to its three game winning streak when it travels to play Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.

The Panthers are 5-10 overall, but more importantly are 3-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference after sweeping Murray State this past weekend.

The Jaguars have had a rough go of it in the early part of this season as well as. They have only been able to win three games in accumulating a 3-11 record this year.

The record is somewhat deceiving due to the fact that IUPUI has played a tough schedule that has included OVC member Morehead State, where they got swept in a three game series, and Central Florida which is the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll No.15 team in the nation right now.

Despite the sub-par numbers that the Jaguars have put up in the win-loss column, they have been able to put up some pretty impressive stats at the plate so far this season.

Outfielder Billy Fitzwilson has started out the season on a tear hitting .350 and has hit four homeruns to go along with 14 RBI.

Fitzwilson has been helped this season by IUPUI shortstop Dusty Bowling, who is hitting at a .340 clip, has driven in 12 runs and has shown his speed on the basepaths by stealing five bases.

Even though every game is important, the Panthers will probably not throw any of the mainstays of their staff due to the always tough conference weekend schedule.

Which probably means that the Jaguars Fitzwilson and Bowling won’t see junior Scott Metz or seniors Mike Ziroli and Pete Martin who all won games this past weekend versus Morehead State, and have been the catalysts for the Panther hurlers this season.

However, Eastern will have the rest of its lineup intact for the game with the Jaguars. That means the OVC player of the week, Chris Martin, who had 12 RBI last week versus the University of Alabama-Birmingham, University of Memphis and Morehead last week, will face the IUPUI pitching staff.

Also in the lineup for the Panthers will be transfer Ben Duke, who has started his Eastern career with a bang by hitting .383 so far this year, which is good for fifth in the conference while hitting two homeruns and driving in 13 runs.