The softball team stepped onto Williams Field just 11 hours after returning from the Hawaii Tournament to open up its Ohio Valley Conference season against Eastern Kentucky with a 4-0 loss.

The Panthers (3-13) opened up the first of the three-game series with the Colonels (19-10) Tuesday night and will pick up with the remaining two games today at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

“We started (Monday) at 5 a.m. and got in at 6 a.m. (Tuesday), so it’s been a long day, but we knew we had to play Eastern Kentucky,” head coach Lloydene Searle said. “We came out flat today, but I’m sure we’ll pick it up tomorrow. Mentally, I think we have a little jet lag.”

Eastern Kentucky took control of the game in the third inning with a two out RBI single by second baseman Amy Herrington that moved the Colonels ahead 1-0.

The Colonels continued the scoring in the fourth inning with a triple by centerfielder Kelli Bromley, that plated two to give Eastern Kentucky a 3-0 lead. With seven hits, three runs and two errors, sophomore Kristen Becker was replaced on the mound in the fifth inning by freshman Lorie Daniel, who pitched the remainder of the game. Becker, however, picked up the loss moving her record to 1-6.

Sophomore Colonel Jonelle Csora was dominant on the mound allowing the Panthers just two hits, both to senior Melissa Slama, while striking out eight batters.

“We didn’t hit the ball like we have been of late,” Searle said. “We got a couple of line-drive hits that just didn’t turn into hits and we had too many strike outs.

“They just need to make sure they see the ball and hit the ball – see each pitch and decide what they’ll go after. Today we had a lapse.”

Eastern Kentucky came back to seal their first conference win with a final run in the seventh inning. Herrington’s triple to lead off the inning was backed up by junior catcher Megan Mills immediately after for the Colonels’ fourth run of the game.

Eastern tried to retaliate behind the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning with a hit by Slama to lead the Panthers off, but without another hit in the game, she was stranded on first base.

“We started this game really strong, but there were a couple of close calls and the other team gets those breaks,” Searle said. “We didn’t get the hits and that stifled us.”