Eastern’s softball team would probably like to forget this past weekend.

In each of the three games against Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee Tech, the Panthers (5-18, 0-3) failed to get as many hits as the Golden Eagles (19-8, 4-1) had runs.

The Panthers failed to meet one of head coach Lloydene Searle’s goals coming into the series.

“We didn’t want to get swept,” Searle said. “Tennessee Tech is a very good team, and they have very good pitching and veteran hitting.”

Sunday’s 7-3 loss was typical of the Panthers weekend. Tennessee Tech jumped out to an early lead and didn’t look back.

In the first inning, the Golden Eagles pushed four runs across the plate to take the lead. In the bottom half of the opening inning, the Panthers rallied back with three runs off three hits and a walk, but after the first inning Tennessee Tech pitcher Tia Brenning didn’t allow a single hit.

Eastern had to wait until the fifth inning before another runner reached base. With the Panthers trailing 6-3, freshman right fielder Cassandra North led of the inning with walk, but was caught attempting to steal second. Senior catcher Kristin Darnell drew a walk with two outs, but was stranded at first when junior third baseman Kari Hagerty grounded out to second.

Senior pitcher Kristen Becker was the only other Panther to reach base for the remainder of the game when she waited out a walk in the sixth.

Becker, who pitched in the first game of the three-game set Saturday, allowed at least one runner to reach base in every inning except for the fifth when she retired the No. seven, eight and nine batters in Tech’s lineup in order.

The Golden Eagles roughed up Becker for seven runs (six earned) off 12 hits and a pair of errors by junior shortstop Mandy Lindwall.

Becker supplied most of her run support when she singled in the first inning to drive in two runs. Becker scored Eastern’s only other run when senior centerfielder Carrie Ninness drove Becker in with a single.

Eastern’s hitters failed to produce a single run in two games Saturday.

Brenning (game one) combined with junior Lori Bayless and sophomore Lisa Lamb to shutout the Panther for 14 innings of softball.

While Brenning, Bayless and Lamb shut down the Panther hitters, Tennessee Tech’s offense tagged Becker and freshman pitcher Ashley Condon for 13 runs.

Becker took the 4-0 loss in the first game of the series and Condon lost 9-0.

Despite dropping three games, Darnell said the losses are all bad.

“I think that it was a good start for us confidence wise,” She said. “Even though we got three losses, it kind of showed us what we can and can’t do and what we have to work on in practice.”

Searle said the Panthers need to put the weekend in the past and focus on the next game.

“I think what we need to focus on is what we can control which is the next series,” Searle said.

Eastern’s next game is Wednesday at 2 p.m. when the Panthers host Illinois State.