The Eastern softball team started the weekend with a 9-1 blowout win over Northern Kentucky but things went downhill from there as they only scored two runs in the final four games.

The Panthers had a good start to their season going 3-2 at the Iowa State Cyclone Invitational Feb. 12-14, but the Panthers have gone 1-9 since then.

The Panthers’ lone win from this weekend came by way of a run rule in the fifth inning.

All the scoring was done in the first two innings. Senior shortstop Katie Watson hit a home run in the first inning, but the Panthers put up eight runs in the top of the second.

Senior third baseman Haylee Beck and Watson each had two runs batted in in the game. Freshman outfielder Kayla Bear, senior first baseman Kylie Bennett, freshman second baseman Mady Poulter and sophomore outfielder Andrea Roberts each had one RBI.

Sophomore pitcher Michelle Rogers got her first win of the season pitching five innings and allowing just four hits. She had five strikeouts and allowed just one run.

Tournament host Tennessee-Chattanooga shut out Eastern 3-0 in the second game of the weekend. The Panthers out hit Tennessee-Chattanooga 7-6, but all of the Panthers hits were singles and the Mocs had had three extra base hits.

Watson went 3-4 at the plate and freshman designated hitter Jennifer Ames went 2-4. Despite the losses, the Panthers have been getting contributions from many different players at the plate.

Wireman was on the mound for the Panthers and suffered the loss. She went six innings giving up three runs and striking out five. The loss puts Wireman’s record at 3-7.

Senior outfielder April Markowski got the Panthers on the board first in the first inning against Kentucky off a homerun to left field. She has four home runs on the year.

The lead would not last for too long as the Wildcats would go on to score nine unanswered runs; run ruling the Panthers in five innings. Kentucky put three runs on the board in the bottom half of the first.

Wireman took the loss again. She went two innings, giving up six runs before being replaced by Rogers. Rogers gave up three runs.

The Panthers had to play comeback the entire game against Lipscomb. Lipscomb scored one run in the first, second, third and fifth inning.

Bennett hit a pinch-hit homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning to make it 4-1, but that score would stand as junior catcher Ashlynne Paul would strike out right after.

Eastern limited Lipscomb to just three hits, but Wireman and Rogers combined to walk five batters.

Things didn’t get much better for the Panthers against Miami-Ohio as they were shut out 7-0. Miami-Ohio put up three runs in the first and the third.

Michaela Schlattman of the Redhawks got the scoring with an inside the park homerun. Johniann Wahl led the Redhawks with three RBIs. She got her RBIs off a single past shortstop Watson and a double down the left field line driving in two runners.

Wireman unfortunately took another loss on the mound dropping her record to 3-10 on the year.

Eastern will head to the Southern Illinois Coach B Classic next weekend to take on Kansas, Butler and Southern Illinois-Carbondale.

Sean Hastings can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]