One win and they’re in.

The Panther softball team needs to take at least one of the three games against Morehead State in the final weekend of Ohio Valley Conference play to secure a spot in the conference tournament.

“Basically Morehead needs to sweep us,” Eastern head coach Lloydene Searle said. “I’m looking at taking care of it right in the first game.”

With senior pitcher Kristen Becker slotted to start the first game, that goal may be attainable. Becker is coming off two straight shutout victories and has had a week off to rest her highly used right arm.

If Becker had her way, she wouldn’t get to rest her arm at all, but Searle is confident in her entire pitching staff.

“Kristen came into my office after the Austin Peay series and said, ‘Coach, I can pitch all three games,'” Searle said. “We have called on other pitchers during the season that have done well.”

One of those pitchers Searle can now call on is junior Trish Sanders. After being injured for most of the season, Sanders returned to action last week and put in a few innings of work.

Everything seems to be fitting into place nicely for the Panthers (11-30, 6-11).

“They had a good series with Austin Peay and that’s kind of our promise,” Searle said. “We are starting to peak and are starting to get our bats going.”

Morehead State (7-31, 4-13) could not have been scheduled any better as the Eagles have the worst earned run average in the OVC with 5.05, more than an entire run higher than the next team.

The Eastern bats are awake and playing the Eagles could keep them that way if the Panthers can make the tournament. Searle said her team’s full potential has still not been reached.

“I still don’t think you have seen all our bats,” Searle said. “We still have so much capability around our lineup.”

Eastern will be led by last week’s OVC Player of the Week Kristin Lovering who went 8-for-13 with three home runs last week.

Senior outfielder Toni Orr is tops for the Eagles, batting .343 on the season with 21 RBIs.

Searle said with the last spot in the conference tournament at cost, Morehead will have more than enough to be motivated about.

“It’s also their senior day so they are going to be competitive,” Searle said. “They know their task so they are going to come out fighting.”