It was another close battle for the Eastern women’s softball team.

The Panthers won 5-4 against Tennessee-Martin in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon.

Sunday’s doubleheader in Martin, Tenn., was canceled because of continuing rain.

In the top of the 10th inning, Eastern junior second baseman Sarah Coppert scored the game-winning run on a throwing error.

Skyhawk shortstop junior Greer Long hurried her throw to first in an attempt to get Eastern senior Ashley Robinson out but sent the throw into the dugout, which allowed Coppert to score.

“It was a crazy, crazy game,” said Eastern head coach Kim Schuette. “It was a long game already. It wasn’t pretty.”

Saturday’s game was delayed three and a half hours because of rain in Martin.

The Panthers (10-13, 5-3 OVC) have won three OVC games in extra innings this season and four league games by one run. They lost only one OVC game by one run this season.

“There’s nothing that we can’t do when we’re together,” said freshman first baseman Melinda Jackson. “Our team chemistry is here this season. I can’t explain it.”

Eastern junior pitcher Kathleen Jacoby pitched out of a final jam in the bottom of the 10th inning.

“That’s just the game of softball,” Jacoby said. “It can be a little nerve-wrecking. We strive in tough situations.”

With the international tiebreaker in effect, freshman right fielder Blayn Bolman was placed on second to start the inning. Jacoby then got the next two Tennessee-Martin batters out with pop flies. Sophomore left fielder Ashley Benbow was intentionally walked for the second time in the game, and freshman designated player Chelsea Cary singled to left field to load the bases.

Jacoby got sophomore center fielder Megan Williams to pop out to Eastern senior right fielder Robyn Mackie to end the game.

But that wasn’t the only time Mackie saved the game for the Panthers.

In the bottom of the ninth, Mackie threw out sophomore catcher Laura Lindow, who was trying to advance to home on a hit by sophomore second baseman Laura Roberts.

Jacoby pitched eight innings of relief and gave up eight hits, three runs and four walks. Jacoby (2-4) struck out two but picked up her first victory since March 2.

“Once she got going, it was pure adrenaline,” Schuette said. “She kept trying to get ahead of the hitter.”

Schuette said Jacoby was able to get a lot of pop-outs, and that’s when she knows she is doing well.

Jacoby said she was able to change the speed of her curveball to keep the Skyhawks (15-16, 3-4 OVC) off-balance.

Jacoby is seventh all-time with 32 victories and third all-time with 293 strikeouts.

Mackie and Jackson led the Panthers with two hits. Jackson extended her seven-game hitting streak with an RBI triple to right field in the top of the second inning.

Coppert went 0-for-5 but scored two of 5 Eastern’s runs.

The Panthers return to action against Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis with a doubleheader set to begin at 4 p.m. today at Williams Field.

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

Senior pitcher, Robyn Mackie, winds up during the Panther’s last home game against Southern Illinois University at Williams Field, Thursday of last week. (John Bailey / The Daily Eastern News)

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