A series victory for the Eastern baseball team was well within its reach against Austin Peay Saturday, but by the end of the day the Panthers were sent home on a two-game losing streak.

After opening Ohio Valley Conference play on March 7 at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, where the series was moved because of weather conditions, the Panthers had to deal with another gloomy forecast — this time on Sunday that forced a double-header to be played.

The ominous projection matched menacing Governors’ bats, which combined to score 24 runs in Saturday’s double-header sweep in Raymond C. Park in Clarksville, Tenn.

The 14-10 and 10-6 wins over Eastern dropped the Panthers to 4-15 overall and 2-4 in OVC action, while Austin Peay improved to 8-10 and 2-1 in its first three conference games.

Despite a promising start in Clarksville for Eastern, which began the three-game set with a 7-6 come-from-behind win on Friday, the Panthers pitching staff did not hold up for the next two games.

Following some gut wrenching moments in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday for Eastern coach Jim Schmitz, who saw a 7-5 Panthers lead quickly decapitate to 7-6 with solo home run by Matt Wollenzin with two outs, both teams agreed to play a double-header on Saturday.

Schmitz said the agreement was made because of rain that was expected for Sunday, which could have prevented the Panthers from playing game three of the series.

“There was about an 80-100 percent chance of rain for Sunday and you don’t really want to have a double-header because it puts a burden on pitching, but it needed to be done,” Schmitz said.

Eastern has had its battles with weather this season, as its game on March 4, at Indiana State was canceled because of bad weather.

On March 2, Eastern left the Diamond Classic in Mississippi, but did not arrive in Charleston until after 5 p.m. the next day because of torturous driving conditions in merciless weather as well.

Saturday afternoon started as bad as Eastern’s drive back from Mississippi, as sophomore Jake Johansmeier allowed five runs to Austin Peay in the bottom of the first inning.

Despite the five-run deficit, Eastern responded with a big inning of its own, scoring six runs in the third, which was capped off by a Tyler Schweigert three-run home run

Unfortunately the 6-5 Panthers’ lead would not escape the third inning, as Austin Peay came back with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Johansmeier would pitch a scoreless fourth inning, but he would exit in the fifth, as he surrendered nine runs, six of which were earned.

The Panthers once again clawed their way back in the sixth inning, when Jason Scholl drove in two runs with two outs. Schweigert added another RBI that gave Eastern its first lead at 10-9.

But yet again the Panthers’ pitching could not contain the one-run lead.

An inning later, left-handed pitcher Garrison Stenger allowed an RBI-double and a two-run single that were before and after a two-run home run by Logan Gray.

The damage was done, as the Governors surged ahead 14-10 heading into the final couple of innings, but yet Eastern had one more chance to tie the game.

Freshman Montana Timmons was at the plate with the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the ninth inning.

Timmons worked a 3-0 count off of right-handed pitcher Jared Carkuff, but the Governor righty would only need one more pitch to end the game. The freshman took a hack on the fourth pitch of the at bat, popping it up in foul territory off the first-base bag.

Dre Gleason squeezed his glove shut, securing the ball for an Austin Peay win.

“I told the guys after the game that they really battled, they really battled,” Schmitz said.

But the Panthers had more than Austin Peay standing in their way of a win in the nightcap of the double-header, as scheduled starter Jaden Widdersheim was ruled out for Eastern.

Widdersheim was already replacing Christian Slazinik in the rotation for the Panthers, but both pitchers could not go because of soreness and tightness in their arms, Schmitz said.

Freshman Chase Thurston took the mound for Eastern, following a start Tuesday against Vanderbilt. Schmitz said Thurston was not scheduled to pitch again until Sunday, but had to start because of the ailing Slazinik and Widdersheim.

Heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, Austin Peay held a 2-1 advantage, but another big inning hurt Eastern once again.

The Governors chased Thurston out of the game, as Eastern brought in Joe Greenfield in relief. The results were not in the Panthers’ favor, as Thurston pitched three innings, allowing five runs.

Greenfield allowed four runs in the fourth and six overall in his two innings of work.

“Pitching was not sharp at all,” Schmitz said. “You name it we didn’t do it. We didn’t pitch in, we didn’t get the ball down and we didn’t throw curve balls for strikes.”

To compound the poor pitching during the weekend the Eastern defense did not play to its highest ability either, Schmitz said.

In the three-game series the Panthers committed five errors, leading to three unearned runs.

“The game is pitching and defense and we didn’t do either this weekend and that’s why we came away with two losses,” Schmitz said.

Aldo Soto can be reached at 581-2812 or asoto2@eiu.edu.