Eastern head softball coach Kim Schuette turned to junior pitcher Kathleen Jacoby in the dugout in the bottom of seventh inning of the Panthers’ second game against Ball State.

She said she knew she could go to Jacoby.

Jacoby pitched the Panthers out of a jam with the bases loaded and zero outs.

Jacoby, however, would pick up the loss in the second game as the Cardinals won 3-2 on Tuesday in Muncie, Ind.

“It was a good confidence builder,” Schuette said. “That’s the kid I want to see. She just goes out there and throws.”

Jacoby pitched nine innings in two games Tuesday.

“The second game could have gone to either team,” Schuette said. “It was pretty much the flip of a coin.”

Freshman infielder Kirsten Gee used the most of her opportunities against Ball State.

Gee, who has only played in three games this season, scored the game-winning run in the top of the eighth and gave Eastern the 3-2 win in the first game of the doubleheader.

Gee is a student manager who’s been with the team since the second semester began.

“I know she was excited,” Schuette said. “She ‘s just a nice kid who I asked to come play. She’s done the dirty work for us. She knew what to do at third base.”

Gee scored when sophomore left fielder Lauren Brackett reached on an error by Ball State’s third baseman.

Jacoby pitched all eight innings of the first game and gave up two runs on two hits.

Eastern senior right fielder Robyn Mackie hit a two-run home run in top of the sixth inning of the first game to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead, but Ball State came back in the bottom of the sixth with two runs of its own.

Eastern will play Ohio Valley Conference rival Southeast Missouri at 5 p.m. today at Williams Field.

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