With just a few weekends remaining in the Ohio Valley Conference softball season, teams are starting to position themselves in the hunt for the conference championship.

Among the leaders are preseason favorites Eastern Kentucky (24-9, 10-2) and Tennessee Tech (25-19, 8-3), but Tennessee-Martin has been the surprise team this season with a current hold on second place.

The Skyhawks (21-22, 10-3), who finished last season in last place with an overall record of 9-45, were picked to finish eighth this season, but strong pitching has helped them compete with the top teams in the conference.

Tennessee-Martin junior pitcher Kendra Kosco and freshman pitcher Nicole Davis have been the key to the Skyhawks’ success.

Kosco earned OVC Pitcher of the Week honors this week after going 3-0 and only allowing three runs on seven hits. She is also currently in second for strikeouts with 142.

Eastern head coach Lloydene Searle is not completely surprised with this turnaround.

She believes that they are a talented team and that first-year coach Donley Canary allowed them to play up to their potential.

The Panthers (14-16, 6-7) have also been fighting for position as of late. Eastern has won four of its last five games and is playing some of their best softball of the season.

“We are on schedule to do some of the things that we want to do,” Searle said. “We are getting more consistent offensively every game.”

The offensive production has been picked up by everyone, including sophomore infielder Kristin Lovering.

Lovering went 7-for-14 in five games with five RBI, earning OVC Player of the Week honors.

“It’s nice to see those accolades,” Searle said.

“It was really a feather in her cap to get Player of the Week.”

There are several key matchups this week that could help to solidify conference positions for the May 2 start of the tournament.

The most important battle this weekend will be at the No. 2 standings between in-state rivals Tennessee Tech and Tennessee-Martin.

The teams will meet twice on Saturday and once again on Sunday.

Eastern will also have an important series this weekend, traveling to Eastern Kentucky.

The Panthers currently sit 4 1/2 games back of the first-place Colonels and will need more victories to stay in the conference hunt.