The Eastern softball team beat the Belmont Friday before splitting a doubleheader Saturday afternoon. The loss in game two of the doubleheader was the Panthers’ first conference loss this season. They are now tied atop the standings with Southeast Missouri with a conference record of 5-1.

Friday’s game was a low-scoring affair, with Eastern winning 2-1. All of the scoring came in the first inning, with Belmont getting a run on a double play and Eastern scoring on a 2-run home run from redshirt-senior first baseman Haley Mitchell. The home run was Mitchell’s sixth this season, which was the most on the team at the time.

Pitching for Eastern was redshirt-senior Jade Montgomery, who managed to keep the Bruins’ lineup in check for the final six innings.

Despite walking eight batters in the game, Montgomery only surrendered the one run in seven innings of work to pick up her fifth win on the season.

The first game Saturday was more of an offensive effort for the Panthers as they beat Belmont 12-6.

Eastern jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first two innings. Mitchell hit a 3-run home run in the first inning. Redshirt-sophomore second baseman Hannah Cravens then drove in two more runs on a single in the second.

The Bruins responded in the third inning, jumping on Eastern pitcher Sydney Cammon for five runs to tie the score.

They added another run in the fourth off Eastern freshman Olivia Price to take a 6-5 lead, which the Panther offense soon erased.

A 2-run double in the bottom of the fourth from Morgan Davis regained the lead for Eastern. Price scored later in the inning on a wild pitch.

The Panthers added four more insurance runs in the sixth inning on a solo home run from redshirt-junior shortstop Megan Burton and a pinch-hit, 3-run double from redshirt-freshman Andrea Sampson.

Price pitched the final four innings, only allowing the one run in the fourth.

In the second game of the doubleheader, The Bruins were able to break through on offense to pick up a 7-4 win.

Burton went deep again in the first inning to give Eastern an early lead. It was her seventh home run this season, tying Mitchell for the team lead.

The Bruins would then score the next six runs off of Montgomery and Price before Eastern freshman Aniya Holt drove in a run with a single. After Belmont scored another run in the seventh, Burton hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to claim the team lead from Mitchell.

Belmont pitcher Alicia Veltri closed out the game after that, giving the Bruins the win.

Eastern will remain at home for a three-game series against Austin Peay March 19 and 20. It will follow the same format at the Belmont series, with a single game Friday and doubleheader Saturday.

Adam Tumino can be reached at 581-2812 or ajtumino@eiu.edu.