In its third Ohio Valley Conference series of the season, Eastern’s baseball team will face one of the best pitchers in the conference.

Southeast Missouri State University’s Tim Alvarez leads the OVC in ERA with a miniscule 1.44 mark, but Eastern senior Damon White owns the second-best mark at 2.01. The Indians (18-11, 3-2) have been able to score more runs for Alvarez helping him accumulate a 9-1 record this season for a three-way tie for the most wins in the nation to White’s 2-2 record.

SEMO’s other two options are not as impressive. Sophomore Jon Nourie owns a 5.91 ERA and junior Bill Claton has an 8.86 ERA.

Alvarez and Nourie, both southpaws, might have success against Eastern slugger senior catcher Brett Pignatiello, who bats left.

Pignatiello is having a career year and ranks ninth in the nation in home runs per game (.38). He is in good postion to challenge Eastern’s single season (22) and career home run (39) records. He has 12 home runs and 30 career round trippers through 33 games this year with 18 games remaining.

If SEMO can contain Pignatiello, senior outfielder Kirk Walters will be the Panthers’ fall back plan. Walters leads the Panthers with a .378 batting average and trails Pignatiello for the team lead in RBIs by two with 31.

The Indian’s lineup lacks any standout players, but features six everyday players averaging over .300.

Senior third baseman Denver Stuckey will look to extend an 11-game hitting streak. Stuckey is hitting .317 and is second on the team in runs scored with 26, one run behind senior outfielder Brian Hopkins who leads the team in hitting with a .385 batting average.