CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA) — It’s been an up-and-down season so far for Eastern Illinois baseball, sitting at 12-15 on the season after an 8-5 loss to UT Martin on Thursday.

The Panthers have gotten a big boost from junior infielder Mike O’Conor in recent games. He totaled 13 RBI and three home runs while batting .571 over a four-game stretch last week

These big numbers came after O’Conor wasn’t in the starting lineup at the start of the season, an experience that was new for him.

“That was the first time I really haven’t had consistent playing time in my entire life, so that was definitely an obstacle to get through and I think it was more so my mentality that got me through it more than the physical aspect of it, so it was just being strong and knowing that I just got to put the work in and now it’ll pay off sooner,” O’Conor said.

“I don’t know if he took it as, you know, I got to step it up a little bit, but he sure has,” head coach Jason Anderson said. “He wasn’t out there a lot earlier, and when he got his opportunity and he really ran with it.”