Austin Peay Lady Govs Softball lose two nailbiters to the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles

APSU Sports: Austin Peay Softball

Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay’s softball team opened up Ohio Valley Conference play on Saturday versus Tennessee Tech, at Cheryl Holt Field, with two games that went down to the final pitch in each contest. Unfortunately, for the Lady Govs they were on the wrong side of the final scores, as the Golden Eagles came away with 3-1 and 6-5 victories.

Austin Peay entered the top of the sixth up 5-2, but saw the Golden Eagles cut the margin to two runs on a one-out RBI single by Samantha Everett to make it 5-3.

Angi Sakamoto then followed with a double to put runners on second and third.

Lady Govs junior starter Morgan Brewer got the second out of the inning on a popup in the infield, with a chance to get out of the inning without any more damage being done.

And that looked like that was going to be the case, as Brewer got Melody Christian to hit a slow roller to sophomore third baseman Kayla Davidson, but her throw was wide up the line and into the batter-runner with the ball winding up in the Lady Govs dugout and the two base runners coming in to tie the score, 5-5.

Austin Peay had a chance to retake the lead in the bottom of the inning, when sophomore Lauren de Castro smacked a two-out double to center field – her second double of the game – but Golden Eagles (8-11, 2-0 OVC) pitcher Claudia Harke got freshman Paige Neely to strikes to end the threat.

Tennessee Tech would take the lead in the top of the seventh on a Brittany Spalding RBI single, with one out, scoring her sister Chanelle -who got on with a one-out single and moved into scoring position by stealing second.

The Lady Govs got the tying run on in the bottom of the seventh, with a one-out walk to redshirt junior Jessica Ryan, but Tennessee Tech brought in Game 1 winner Holly Thomas to try to save the game for the Golden Eagles.

She got redshirt junior Shelby Norton on a foul pop to the catcher and Davidson on strikes to end the game.

Austin Peay had trailed 2-1 heading into the bottom of the third inning, but scored four times to go up 5-2.

Highlighting the inning was a three-run home run to center field by Ryan – her third of the season – while the fourth run came on a wild pitch allowing Norton to score.

Tennessee Tech took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-run homer by Brooke Basten, with Austin Peay responding in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run by de Castro.

Brewer (2-4) took the loss; despite striking out a career high nine batters.

In Game 1, Tennessee Tech took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a double by Thomas, scoring Cassie Garrett and Christian, who had reached on singles against Lady Govs starter de Castro (4-2).

Austin Peay would cut the Golden Eagles lead in half in the bottom of the fifth inning on a single by Brewer scoring freshman pinch runner Courtney Ervin – who had come in to run for senior catcher Amy Mills, who had doubled.

The Golden Eagles would tack on an insurance run in the top of the seventh on an infield out by Basten.

Austin Peay would load the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but de Castro fouled out to third to end the game.

The two teams will conclude the three-game OVC series today, with a single game at Cheryl Holt Field, starting at 1:00pm.

Box Score – Game 1

Tennessee Tech vs Austin Peay
Clarksville, TN | Cheryl Holt Field
3/10/2012 at 1:00pm