The Eastern baseball team will continue their non-conference schedule this weekend, as they head to Conway, Ark. for a three game series with Central Arkansas University.

The Panthers are coming off a tough start to their 2011 season, as they were swept last weekend by Southern Mississippi, scoring only three runs in the combined three games.

Central Arkansas is coming off an opening weekend in which they swept Eastern’s Ohio Valley Conference rival Southern Illinois-Edwardsville by scores of 5-4, 14-4, and 16-13.

Remarking on the high-scoring affairs of Central Arkansas’ last weekend, Panther head coach Jim Schmitz said he felt his team would be able to keep the Bears’ offense after looking at what they did against SIU-E.

“The word that we heard was that SIU-E walked a lot, and the thing I like about our staff is we’re strike throwers,” Schmitz said.

As far as the Panther offense goes, Schmitz said the team needs to be more aggressive at the plate and not fall into as many 0-1 and 0-2 counts.

The Panther offense was led by junior Zach Borenstein last weekend, as it was last year. Borenstein saw his hitting streak, which dates back to last year, grow to 14 games until it was snapped on Sunday. Borenstein went 0-for-3 in the game. Despite the hitless Sunday, Borenstein finished the opening weekend 4-for-10 at the plate, leading the Panthers with a .400 average as well as being tied for the team lead with one RBI and one run scored on the season.

The Panthers made six errors last weekend at Southern Mississippi, which is why defense was one area where Schmitz said the team focused this week in practice.

Schmitz said he does not make excuses for his players, but the first weekend in a live game situation can sometimes provide a rough transition.

“I don’t make excuses and my team knows it, but it’s whatever,” Schmitz said. “It’s the first day on grass, the first ball hit to you. Cam Strang’s mistakes were on the double play ball, so the first time he had to make a play with a lot of pressure. You try to simulate that in the field house, but it doesn’t happen.”

Schmitz said collegiate teams jump right into their schedules, where major leaguers have almost two months of spring training before their games count.

“Major leaguers play 20 to 30 games before their first one counts,” Schmitz said. “That doesn’t happen here and we know that. I think a lot of first game/weekend errors are normal. I hope it doesn’t happen anymore and I don’t think it will.”

The Panthers play three games in Central Arkansas, with Friday’s contest scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Central Time.

Brad Kupiec can be reached at 581-7944 or bmkupiec@eiu.edu.