It took two late-game comebacks and extra-innings on one occasion, but nonetheless, the Eastern softball team opened up conference play with four wins over Belmont and Tennessee State.

Eastern started its weekend with a win, granted a tense one, in a 3-2 nine inning affair with Belmont in Nashville.

The Panthers scored one run in the sixth and seventh innings to take a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the seventh innings. But Belmont designated hitter Lexi Rouse had other ideas in the inning. She singled into right field tying the game at 2-2, forcing the extra innings.

If it was going to be anyone to come up with a big hit for Belmont, there was no surprise it was Rouse who leads the team with a .394 batting average and an .831 slugging percentage.

In the top of the ninth inning, Eastern third basemen Maria Devito secured the win, singling and scoring Megan Burton.

The low score of the game was exactly what was expected from a pitching matchup that featured both staff’s aces in Jessica Wireman for Eastern and Brooklin Lee for Belmont.

Both pitchers threw all nine innings of the game, with Wireman ultimately getting the win, but Lee topped her in strikeouts (9-8) and hits allowed (6-8).

Game two between Belmont and Eastern went a different route as far as scoring is concerned, Eastern won 11-8, but in similar fashion to the first game, Eastern won in the final inning, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh inning. In the seventh inning, Eastern’s Haley Mitchell doubled, driving in two runs and Kendyl McKeough doubled in the third run.

“Our kids got better in game one as the game went on offensively and that’s what you want to see. We made some great, great plays on defense Saturday and kept our heads in a few dicey situations,” said coach Kim Schuette. “I like to see toughness and determination and the blue team showed that.”

After beating Belmont, who had the conference’s highest winning percentage before the weekend, the Panthers turned to Tennessee State, who had the OVC’s worst record. The Panthers beat Tennessee State in game one 6-1. Wireman was solid again in that game, throwing another complete game, striking out seven batters.

“(Wireman) is a very determined competitor and was able to lean on different pitches as the game continued,” Schuette said. “She was able to adjust to what was working and get some big K’s when we needed them.”

Schuette credited some of Wireman’s performance to the defense of catcher LaMore.

“The defense, especially catcher Morgan Lamore, was able to come up big also. It’s great to see our pitchers and catchers to “let it fly” once in a while and our catchers go snag it, that’s pretty cool on both sides,” Schuette said.

In game two against Tennessee State Eastern won 5-1. Shortstop Megan Burton was 2-3 with two RBIs and senior Michelle Rogers threw a complete game and struck out seven batters.

“Four game conference series are tough and we had some good individual performances but the beauty of this team, is no one cares about their performance, they just want to help the team at that given moment,” Schuette said.

Eastern is now 24-8 on the season and will have its home opener Tuesday against Butler.

JJ Bullock can be reached at 581-2812 or jpbullock@eiu.edu