With a pair of firsts for sisters Karyn and Robyn Mackie, the freshman twins helped rally Eastern to its first ever win over Jacksonville State Friday, 5-4.

In her fifth start of the season, Karyn Mckie licked up her first collegiate win, throwing a complete game and allowing only eight hits and three earned runs. In the bottom of the seventh, Robyn Mackie hit a RBI Double to win the game for the Panthers (4-14 1-2 Ohio Valley Conference).

“I’ve never done anything like that before,” Robyn said. “When I got to second, I just stood there, and everyone started jumping around and celebrating.”

Trailing by one going into the third, Karyn Mackie hit a rough patch.

After letting the first two runners on base, one by a throwing error, Karyn walked two straight, walking one runner across home. The Gamecocks (9-12, 5-3) would bring in two more runs before the Panthers could get out of the inning.

“It was frustrating because I was walking batters,” Karyn Mackie said. “(Catcher) Sandyn (Short) came out and kind of calmed me down and helped picked me up”

After that Karyn Mackie responded to the Jacksonville rally by shutting out the Gamecocks in the next four innings, the Panthers mounted a comeback.

Trailing 4-3 going into the last inning, junior infielder Jenny Cervetto had a pinch hit and eventually came around to score on a single by sophomore infielder Katy Steele.

Robyn Mackie , who had six hits and four RBI’s in the series, came to the plate with one out and a chance to put the Panthers in position for the win.

“I was happy it was (Robyn Mackie hitting) because I knew she could at least advance the runner,” Karyn Mackie said.

Robyn Mackie doubled to left center to bring in the winning run and seal her sister’s first win for the Panthers.

“The pitcher laid a fattie out for me, and I almost got over anxious and swung too early,” Robyn Mackie said. “It was special because I am a catcher, and we work together a lot.

“She was really happy.”

The next day Robyn Mackie nearly lifted the Panthers to another comeback. After trailing by as many as seven runs, Eastern cut the lead to two going into the seventh. With runners on first and second, Robyn Mackie hit a two-out double to drive in the tying runs.

“It was like deja vu,” Robyn Mackie said. “I hit it in almost the exact same spot as I did the day before.”

However, Jacksonville pulled ahead in extra innings and the Panthers couldn’t recover for the win.