The Eastern softball team hosted Indiana State for a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday at Williams Field.

The Panthers and Sycamores exchanged shutouts, with Indiana State winning the first game 5-0 and Eastern taking the nightcap 4-0.

Eastern is now 18-11 overall this season and will continue conference play against Tennessee-Martin Sunday and Monday at home.

The Sycamores are now 11-16 over this season and will travel to play Drake in a conference series this weekend.

In the first game, the Panthers’ usually-potent offense was held in check as they were shutout for just the sixth time this season.

Indiana State pitcher Gabbi Schnaiter picked up her fifth win of the season, pitching 5 innings and allowing just 2 hits.

Sophomore Lexi Benko pitched the final two innings for the Sycamores, allowing just a single hit and striking out four batters.

The three hits for the Panthers came from redshirt-sophomore leftfielder Morgan Lewis, redshirt-freshman outfielder Abby Taylor and redshirt-freshman catcher Amber Cieplinski.

Redshirt-senior Jade Montgomery took the loss for Eastern, pitching 5 innings and allowing 5 runs, one of which was unearned.

Indiana State scored a run in the first inning, three in the fifth and another in the sixth.

They were led by junior catcher Annie Tokarek with two RBI.

The Eastern offense jumped ahead early in game two off of senior pitcher Abbey Kruzel, scoring all four of their runs in the first two innings.

Redshirt-senior first baseman Haley Mitchell drove in a run with a single in the first to open the scoring.

Mitchell was 2-for-2 in the game and was the only player on either team with multiple hits.

They scored three in the second inning on a single from freshman Olivia Price, a steal of home by redshirt-sophomore Denaed Santini and a single from redshirt-junior Megan Burton.

Price was also the starting pitched for the Panthers, allowing 3 hits over 5.2 shutout innings.

Redshirt-sophomore Hannah Cravens, who started the game at second base, pitched the final 1.1 innings. She allowed just one hit.

For Indiana State, senior Peyton Ottersbach came out of the bullpen to pitch the final 4 innings, allowing just two baserunners.

Eastern enters the series against Tennessee-Martin in fourth place in the OVC with a 10-6 conference record.

The Skyhawks are in seventh with a conference record of 8-7.

Adam Tumino can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].