Things were not looking good for the pitching staff of the Eastern softball team.

After giving up 14 runs across two games against Murray State Saturday in the Panthers’ home and conference openers, Eastern opened Sunday’s doubleheader against Austin Peay by getting mercy-ruled 9-0 in just five innings. 

On top off all that, sophomore pitcher Val Thompson suffered what is being called a “serious” knee injury on Saturday and will likely not pitch again for some time.

Down one pitcher on a staff of just four, coming off a three-game stretch in which they gave up 23 runs, the Eastern pitchers had their backs against the wall headed into the weekend finale game against Austin Peay on Sunday. 

But cue a complete game, one-run-allowed performance by junior Jade Montgomery in the finale and suddenly a weekend that looked mighty grim for the pitching staff was delivered a beam of light. 

Montgomery threw seven innings and struck out six batters as she guided her team to its first conference win of the season on Sunday 4-1. And for so many reasons, other than just picking up a win, Montgomery’s performance could not have come at a better time. 

“It was really important, especially important to me after some rough games, to come out and finally have a good game,” Montgomery said. 

The rough games Montgomery is referring to would be an umbrella reference to the 5.1 innings she pitched in the Murray State games on Saturday where she gave up nine hits, three runs and picked up her 11th loss of the season. But she redeemed herself on Sunday.

“It’s something we know Jade can do,” head coach Kim Schuette said. “She can mix up and come in and out with a change up and she had great composure today. Nothing flustered her and it was good.”

Montgomery was not alone in her struggles, however: The entire Eastern staff had issues this weekend. 

Eastern’s McKenna Coffman gave up eight runs over 9.1 innings pitched this weekend. Sydney Cammon allowed six runs in just three innings pitched and Thompson was the victim of a serious knee injury. 

Prior to Montgomery’s start, this was not exactly the best weekend for Eastern’s pitchers.

The loss of Thompson means the loss of Eastern’s only left-handed pitcher and a key cog in the four-person staff Eastern has used this season. 

Thompson was running to make a play at first base on Saturday when she connected awkwardly with the base and hurt her knee. 

Part of Montgomery’s performance on Sunday was inspired by the loss of her teammate. 

“This season I am going to go out and play for Val,” Montgomery said. “She was obviously a huge part of our team and definitely came in and helped us in some tough situations and obviously it’s tough to see that happen to her. But I know that she is strong and luckily she is only a sophomore, so she’ll have two more seasons left under her belt after she recovers.”

JJ Bullock can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]