EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Eastern Illinois grabbed game one of a three-game series, defeating SIUE Softball 10-4 Friday at Cougar Field.

The two teams meet up again Saturday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

SIUE dropped to 10-22 overall and 2-8 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The OVC-leading Panthers improved to 23-9 overall and 9-1 in the OVC.

McKenzie Oslanzi picked up the win for the Panthers, her 14th of the season. SIUE Head Coach Ben Sorden said the Cougars got better as the game went on.

"I thought we made good adjustments at the plate. I thought we ht some balls hard today,"  he said. "I was real happy with the adjustments I saw out of Grace Lueke, Jenna Herron and Lauren Yslava today. Danielle Shuey is finding her way on base."

EIU ran out to a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning.

The Cougars got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Madison Kearns reached on a fielding error by Oslanzi. Lueke scored on the play.

Emma Henderson doubled home a run in the sixth. Yslava would score later in the inning on a passed ball.

Herron drove home Paige Rocha on back-to-back hits. Herron doubled to left field as Rocha raced home from first base in the seventh inning.

Rocha, who joined Lueke with two hits, extended her hitting streak to 25 games with a single in the third inning. She holds the nation's longest hitting streak at 25 games. The SIUE record is 27 set by Erin Newman in 2001.

Kelsey Ray threw the first 3 1/3 innings for the Cougars and took the loss. She now stands at 6-5.

"We just have to pitch it a little bit better and play a little better defense," added Sorden.