Eastern wants to continue its fast start in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Panthers will be able to do that today against Southeast Missouri.

Eastern plays the Redhawks at 3 p.m. in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Eastern head coach Kim Schuette said last week the Panthers (8-11, 4-1 OVC) were concerned with the conference games.

Last season, the Panthers lost their first five conference games. And they only won three of nine conference series games. The Panthers finished 23-21 and 9-16 in the Ohio Valley Conference.

This season the Panthers have already their first two conference series. They took two of three at Tennessee State, and won two games against Austin Peay.

Schuette said he team takes one game at a time.

“They don’t take anybody lightly,” Schuette said. “Our record will take care of itself.”

Eastern’s game against SEMO (11-16, 1-5) could prove to be an interesting one with both teams playing different styles.

Eastern plays a small-ball game, while SEMO is the direct opposite as the Redhawks rely heavily on power hitting.

SEMO has 25 home runs, and Eastern only has six.

The Panthers have eight sacrifice flys and 20 sacrifice bunts. The Redhawks have one sacrifice fly and 13 sacrifice bunts.

“(The Panthers) do a lot of things right,” SEMO head coach Lana Richmond said. “They execute the short game.”

Schuette said SEMO senior pitcher Elaine Fisher would give the Panthers trouble because Fisher is a tough left-handed pitcher. The Panthers have not seen a left-handed pitcher all season.

Fisher (6-10) has a 2.33 ERA and has struck out 85 batters in 108 innings.

Fisher, though, is 1-3 in the OVC and has a 4.15 ERA in conference games with 13 strikeouts in 31 innings.

“She doesn’t walk many batters,” Richmond said. “Her control is very good.”

Fisher has given up just 26 walks in 21 appearances this season.

Both teams were able to see one another when they competed at the Florida Atlantic Tournament. The two teams also played against common opponents.

Eastern lost to Florida Gulf Coast 2-1 in eight innings, and SEMO lost to the Eagles, 5-0. Eastern defeated Bethune Cookman, 8-0, and SEMO defeated them 4-0. But SEMO also lost to Bethune Cookman, 5-2 in nine innings.

“(The Panthers are) very sound defensively,” Richmond said. “It should be a good game.”

Southeast Missouri leads the all-time series 28-18. Eastern won two-of-three games against Southeast Missouri last season with 11-7 and 3-2 victories. The Redhawks beat Eastern once, 5-2, last year.

Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurph@eiu.edu.

Sophomore softball player Megan Nelson slides into an Austin Peay player during last weekends match up against the Lady Govs at Williams Stadium. (Erin Matheny/The Daily Eastern News)

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