Eastern will have the opportunity to send Jacksonville State to the middle of the pack one week after sweeping Murray State to the bottom of the Ohio Valley Conference standing.

Both Eastern and Jacksonville State are near the top of the OVC race after two weeks of play. The Gamecocks (13-15, 5-1) sit in second place behind undefeated Austin Peay, while Eastern (8-17, 4-2) is tied with Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Tech for third place.

The Panthers will play the Gamecocks in a three-game series starting on Friday.

Eastern head coach Jimmy Schmitz realizes the key for the Panthers will lie in how well the team hits against Jacksonville State’s talented pitchers.

The Gamecocks top two starters (seniors Bobby Wynns and C.R. Palmer) both have earned run averages below 3.60 while compiling three and four wins respectively.

“Jacksonville State pitches very well,” Schmitz said. “If you look at the scores, with the exception of (last) Sunday’s game [against Southeast Missouri State] when they gave up 14 runs, they’ve had some great outings.”

In the aforementioned game, Jacksonville State found themselves down 12-4 after allowing SEMO a nine- run fifth inning. Much to the surprise of Schmitz, however, the Gamecocks responded with a nine-run inning of their own three frames later to defeat SEMO 15-14.

Had Jacksonville State dropped the contest there would have been a five-way tie for second-place in the conference, with the Gamecocks and Indians joining the mix.

“Jacksonville State was 4-2 when they were down 14-5 in the eighth inning, but they scored nine in the eighth to beat SEMO,” Schmitz said.

“You talk about being an (upset) coach on Monday, because I’m driving in the bus (on the way back from Murray State) thinking we’re all 4-2 and I’m happy. But that wasn’t the case.”

Besides a solid starting staff, the Gamecocks have a powerful batting lineup to compliment the pitching. Outfielder Austin Stein and infielders Bobby Hicks and Robby Goodson all are hitting well over .300 and Goodson leads the team with nine home runs and 27 RBI.

The Panthers will counter offensively with centerfielder Marcus Jackson and third baseman Ryan Campbell.

Jackson came off the bench against Western Illinois last Tuesday to smash the game-winning double, while Campbell started the Panthers rally with a leadoff double that culminated with Jackson’s heroics.

With the teams very close, both record and statistically, the games very well could come down to the stronger bench.

Schmitz says he like to keep the role players fresh by handing them a start during a mid-week game.

One of the bench players who came up key last weekend was junior right fielder Jason Pinnell, who came up with the game-winning two-run double against Murray State gave the Panthers the sweep in the series.

“I like to play some different people in the mid-week games so that during the weekend you don’t go up to the guys on the bench and say ‘get a hit for me’ and he says “my last at bat was March 4,'” Schmitz said.

“We do switch it around mid-week and this keeps the team fresh.”

As the Panthers head into Coaches Stadium for their Friday twin bill, Schmitz is hoping for support from not only the student body but also the local residents.

“I think it’s just going to be a great series and I’m looking forward to a lot of people coming out, Schmitz said.

“I know the students, obviously, are going to get that Easter stuff, but community-wise it’d be nice to see some people out here. It should be three good games.”

Game one of the double dip will begin at 1 p.m.