It’s hard to unlock a door without a key, and that’s exactly what happened Saturday when the Panther baseball team split its double-header against Austin Peay.

Head coach Jim Schmitz said pitching is the key to any series.

Eastern prevailed in the first game, but fell behind fast in the second game.

“In the first game, Josh (Mueller), T.B. (Tyler Brandon) and Scott (Foley) kept us in the game,” Schmitz said. “In the second game, (Tristan) Facer was not sharp. He had no velocity.”

A rain delay, along with a cancellation on Sunday, didn’t help the team get on track.

“We struggled with the rain yesterday, and by (Ohio Valley Conference) rules, we had to start by 3:30 p.m., and that just didn’t happen,” Schmitz said.

The split keeps the Panthers tied for third with Austin Peay in the OVC. The Panthers’ next game is 3 p.m. today at Coach’s Stadium against Evansville, which will be their last home game.

The game will be about fine-tuning against a non-conference team before the Panthers play Eastern Kentucky at the end of the week.

“We plan to go with the regular line-up and throw four or five arms,” Schmitz said.

Schmitz likes to give players a rest when they play more than two games. However, players have no need for rest because of Sunday’s cancellation.

Before going into the next few games, Schmitz said he wants his players to relax. “I want them to keep playing aggressively, and not worry about the OVC standings,” Schmitz said.

Molly Clutter can be reached at 581-7942 or mkclutter@eiu.edu.