For just the third time all season, the Eastern softball team has lost back-to-back games, which is the team’s longest losing streak of the year.

These two losses came in the same day, against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, and both ended on walk offs in the seventh inning.

In the first game on Tuesday, Eastern let a three-run lead slip away and in game two, came back, but was unable to push ahead.

Coming back home Saturday and Sunday with two doubleheaders against Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State has the Panthers fired up to start playing like how they are used to.

“We know that we’re a good team and there’s a lot of games left this season,” junior Maria DeVito said. “We aren’t going to let two games define the rest of the season. We are going to keep doing the same little things that we do that prepare us for each and every game.”

She said the two tough losses Tuesday motivate them more to get back on the field.

DeVito drove in one run in game two of the Panthers’ doubleheader against the Cougars. She is batting .200 this season and has played in 33 out of 39 games this season.

Eastern has scored the third-most runs in the OVC this season and DeVito said the talent the team possesses will get them back in the win column.

“We have too much talent and we are ready to get back on the field,” she said. “We know that each one of us contributes something to this team and has attributed to all the success we’ve had so far this season.”

One of the biggest surprises to come out of Tuesday’s struggles was senior pitcher Jessica Wireman’s struggles in the seventh inning. Her ERA still sits below 2.00. It was out of the ordinary for her struggles to pile on the way they did, but she is not worried about this weekend.

“Tuesday was definitely a game where we learned a lot,” Wireman said. “All it takes is learning from our mistakes and not making them again and TTU (Tennessee Tech) and JSU (Jacksonville State) will not be a problem.”

She said the biggest thing she has worked on was her spin and making sure everything is moving on her pitch.

Sean Hastings can be reached at 581-2812 or smhastings@eiu.edu