The Eastern baseball team will host Southeast Missouri State this weekend in a three-game series that may start to separate the crowded Ohio Valley Conference.

Both Eastern and Southeast Missouri are two of a handful of teams contending for the OVC crown. The Panthers, at 8-4 in the OVC, currently sit in a tie for second place alongside Eastern Kentucky while the Indians are right behind the Panthers at 7-5 and in a three-way tie for third place.

Assuming his offense continues to score runs like it did against Saint Louis University last Wednesday, Eastern head coach Jimmy Schmitz believes the Panthers should be successful starting this Saturday.

“Well, the way we’re swinging the bats you’ve got to be pleased with this team,” Schmitz said. “Kevin (Carkeek) has been hot and was named Co-OVC ‘Player of the Week’ and after a little bit of an off week against Samford Ryan (Campbell) seems to be back in form so were happy with those two players.”

Carkeek, a freshman first baseman, is hitting just over .340 and is second on the team with eight doubles. He is also in the top five statistically in hits, RBI and total bases and was named Co-OVC ‘Player of the Week’ after hitting .667 with eight runs scored and two RBI. Carkeek also banged out five doubles and posted a .905 slugging and .708 on-base percentage while leading Eastern to a 3-2 record last week.

Campbell won the ‘OVC Player of the Week’ award three weeks ago. After struggling at the plate against Samford last weekend, the freshman from Sandburg was back to his normal ways with a 4-for-5 effort against Saint Louis on Wednesday. For the year, Campbell is tops in almost every statistical category including batting average (.364), hits (48) and RBI (26).

An area Schmitz is looking for more production is in his one-two hitters in the lineup, seniors Chris Uhle and Kyle Haines. Uhle is hitting right around .300 while Haines’ batting average is .315. For the Panthers this season, Uhle and Haines have been the table setters in the lineup and if these two produce, usually, so do the rest of the Panther club.

“We got to get the one-two swinging the bats well,” Schmitz said. “If that happens with Kyle and Chris then I think we’ll be real happy this weekend.”

Schmitz doesn’t fear that a rainout against Illinois-Chicago last Tuesday will effect how sharp the team performs and, according, to Campbell, the Panthers are ready for this key series against Southeast Missouri.

“The team feels pretty confident,” Campbell said. “If we swing the bats like we did against Saint Louis and get good pitching we’ll get it done.”

The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.