The Eastern softball team’s first weekend of OVC play did not go quite as planned as the team finished it with a 1-3 record and a run differential of 24-11. 

But, it did end on a high note with Eastern beating Austin Peay 4-1 at Williams Field in a game Eastern will try and repeat this weekend against Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State. 

Eastern is coming into this weekend’s four conference games as losers of four of its last five games. 

However, taking a closer look at the win over Austin Peay on Sunday and a tight loss to Illinois on Wednesday and that figure may be a little more deceptive than meets the eye. 

Eastern will roll into Tennessee Tech on Friday for two games with a little bit of momentum and confidence behind it, but it is going to take more than just a positive mindset for Eastern to take down its opponents, particularly conference opponents. 

Jacksonville State and its No. 2 ranked offense in the OVC will surely offer Eastern’s pitching staff a run for its money on Sunday. 

Jacksonville State leads the OVC with 41 home runs and a .512 slugging percentage this season and is second in runs scored (182) and batting average (.301). 

Eastern’s pitching staff meanwhile is ninth in the OVC with a 4.34 ERA. 

Eastern has kept its head up this season in the face of losses, for example, after last weekend’s shutout losses to Murray State (7-0) and Austin Peay (9-0), the team’s mindset is more than applaudable. 

But, 33 games into the season with the team sitting at just 10 wins, it is time for that mindset to translate into execution on the field consistently like it did last Sunday in the win over Austin Peay.

Eastern has been inconsistent at the plate this season as well. 

At times the Panthers’ have flashed the power their lineup possesses, like they did Wednesday against Illinois, but other times the offense has floundered. 

In all, the Panthers’ bats have put together a .243 batting average, good enough for just 11th in the OVC.  

Their slugging (.358) and on-base (.316) percentages also rank second-to-last in the OVC.

Tennessee Tech is in a similar boat to Eastern on both sides of the field, sporting a .255 batting average (10th OVC) and a 4.76 ERA (11th OVC).

Eastern’s mindset and attitudes have been excellent this season, right where any coach would want them to be, but it is time for the product on the field to rise to the level of optimism the program is exuding. 

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