After pulling off two series sweeps over Belmont and Tennessee State last weekend, the Eastern softball team (24-8, 4-0) is in sole possession of first place in the OVC in both overall record and conference record.

Prior to the weekend, which opened conference play, Belmont had the conference’s best overall record of 19-4 and was better in almost every offensive and pitching category.

But the Panthers came out and made a big statement, not only to themselves, but to the rest of the OVC when they swept Belmont on its home field.

One of the things that is so important to understand about the series sweep over Belmont is that the Panthers beat them in both a pitching duel in game one and an offensive shootout in game two.

This showed that Eastern is going to be able to compete with the best teams in the conference in any game atmosphere, whether it is in a game that requires strong pitching all the way through, which the Panthers got in game from senior Jessica Wireman, or a game that requires big scoring innings and four RBI performances like they got from sophomore Haley Mitchell.

Expectation from the Panthers themselves were high at the beginning of the season, so the fact that they could sweep a team like Belmont is no surprise to them. But to the rest of the OVC, it should be taken as a warning that Eastern is deep on both sides of the diamond and is looking to prove they are better than the fourth-place team the preseason poll projected them to be.

Elsewhere around the OVC, Austin Peay stole both games of a doubleheader from Morehead State last weekend, pitching well in both games, winning 3-1 and 6-3.

Austin Peay got a complete game, four hit performance from Morgan Rackel in game one and she also earned the win in game number two coming in as a reliever.

On Monday, Austin Peay resumed conference play and split a two-game series with Eastern Kentucky. Rackel was not nearly as sharp this time around, giving up seven runs over 4.2 innings pitched in game one.

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, which was projected to finish third in the conference, also swept Tennessee State in a two-game series.

Freshman Corrina Rivas delivered what was not only the highlight of the Cougars’ weekend, but what is possibly the highlight of the OVC from the weekend when she threw a perfect game against Tennessee State.

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville only played the two games, and because of that, sits in second place in the OVC.

Preseason favorite to win the OVC, Jacksonville State, started OVC play well, winning both games of a doubleheader against Tennessee-Martin and winning the first of two games against Southeast Missouri.

However, the Gamecocks fell on Sunday 7-2 to Southeast Missouri. The Redhawks scored five runs in the fourth inning of that game and got a complete game on the mound from Madeline Krumrey.

OVC play continues this weekend as Eastern plays Southeast Missouri Friday, Tennessee State plays Morehead State, Belmot plays Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State plays Murray State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville plays Tennessee-Martin and Tennessee Tech plays Austin Peay.

All of those matchups are slated for doubleheaders.

While the rest of the OVC has a break on Saturday, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Belmont square off in Nashville for a doubleheader.

It is still a long ways away, but the OVC Tournament is back in Oxford, Ala. May 9-12

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