Despite a loss to start the series, Eastern managed to win the next two games and win the series from Morehead State University.

“That is not something we settle for,” said junior right-fielder Katy Steele of her team’s day one loss against Morehead State in the two-day match-up.

The Panthers split their Saturday double header against Morehead State. The day started with a 6-2 loss to the Eagles, which marked starting freshman pitcher Kathleen Jacoby’s first loss in over a month.

“We didn’t play bad; we just didn’t play a full seven innings,” said head coach Kim Schuette.

Steele homered in the first inning to drive in two runs. Freshman left-fielder Angela Danca reached base on an infield single before Steele drove a pitch over the center field fence to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

But Morehead responded with five runs of its own in the bottom of the first.

“Everyone has a bad game once in a while,” said Schuette. “We had a bad first inning on defense, and our offense didn’t bounce back and support that.”

Jacoby walked Morehead’s Bri Jones, gave up two hits and then walked Ashley Hubbell.

Krystle Coleman scored on a wild pitch by Jacoby.

“We couldn’t do much right. When we hit the ball hard it was right at them, and sometimes that happens,” Schuette said. “They did very well in that first inning, they hit the ball well and drew a couple of walks and had a big run lead, and we weren’t able to come back.”

Morehead’s final run of the game came in the third with Kari Quinn reaching base on a fielding error by freshman Chelsy Iapala.

The second game of the day was scoreless until the fourth and ended in a 5-3 win for Eastern.

“Game two we came out a lot better, we were ready to play and had much better pitch selection,” said Schuette.

Starting pitcher Karyn Mackie struck out five Eagles in six scoreless innings and held Morehead off until the seventh, when senior Ashley Condon took over on the mound and gave up three runs.

Mackie said she was not stressing herself out on the mound but told herself to “just keep going” and “do your job.”

Chelsea Adams and Rachel Karos opened the fifth inning with back-to-back singles, and Short brought both home with her 37th career double.

She is now just one off of the school record.

Short, who missed the series in Florida, said she is just trying to get back into an offensive groove and is more focused on that than setting records.

“We had a little more bounce in our step, we were a little more ready to play our style ball,” said Schuette of the second and third games of the weekend.

Steele hit her eighth career home run in her final at bat of the day on Saturday in the seventh, which gave her eighth career making her fifth the program’s history.

After the impressive day at bat Saturday Steele was intentionally walked in Eastern’s third match-up with the Eagles on Sunday.

“That’s one of the biggest compliments a hitter can get”, said Schuette.

“Anytime you get on base it’s a good feeling to have,” said Steele. “Being walked is kind of an honor.”

The Panthers won the rubber game of the series 7-4.

Short attributes a lot of the success to the teams pitching.

“In game two and three our pitchers did really well,” she said. “We had the offense to back them up and that makes it easier for them to do their job.”

After trading the lead through the first three innings the Eagles had a 3-2 lead in the fourth. But an RBI triple by Rachel Karos to right field brought Danca home and tied the game until the sixth when the Panthers posted three more runs.

Brittany Castle led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Robyn Mackie reached base on a fielder’s choice and both players scored on Adams’ timely triple that gave Eastern a 5-3 lead.

Steele’s second homerun of the series and Eastern’s seventh run of the game came in the seventh which finished the game 7-4.

The panthers are looking to take the momentum of this winning weekend into Wednesday’s game.

“I want us to jump out early and be ready to play,” said Short, “I’d like to see us come out and take the first game.”