Southeast Missouri vs. APSU Softball
Saturday-Sunday, April 14th-15th | Sat: 1:00pm; Sun: 1:00pm
Clarksville, TN | Cheryl Holt Field
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s softball team will be looking to end its five-game losing streak this weekend as it hosts Southeast Missouri for an important three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Cheryl Holt Field.
The Lady Govs (12-22, 6-12 OVC) come into the weekend series sitting in ninth place in the conference standings, 3 1/2 games out of reaching the top six spots that will earn slots in the conference’s post-season tournament. The Lady Govs have just 12 conference games remaining to make up that ground.
Southeast Missouri (16-24, 7-12 OVC) is in eighth place in the conference, one-half game ahead of Austin Peay, and also is playing for its post-season life.
Austin Peay is led offensively by sophomore Lauren de Castro, who is hitting at a .375 clip for the season, and comes into the weekend after watching her 13-game hitting streak come to an end Thursday at UT Martin.
She also leads the team in runs scored (21), RBI (20), slugging percentage (.589), on-base percentage (.426), doubles (7) and walks (10), while tied with redshirt junior Jessica Ryan for the team’s home run lead (5).
Freshman Paige Neely is the only other Lady Gov hitting better than .300 through 34 games this season and comes in with a .345 average and 13 RBI.
In the circle, junior Morgan Brewer leads the Lady Govs pitching staff with a 6-9 win-loss mark this season and owns a 3.17 ERA to go with 80 strikeouts in 108.1 innings of work. Brewer was brilliant in the Lady Govs’ 1-0 eight-inning loss to UT Martin, Thursday.
Leading the team in ERA (2.85) is de Castro, who sports a 4-5 win-loss record with 44 strikeouts in 66.1 inning of work.
Senior Ashley Bolda and sophomore Taylor Mills also have Lady Govs’ pitching wins this season.
The Red Hawks are led at the plate by Cheyenne Gipson, who is hitting at a .342 clip with a team-best 16 stolen bases.
Alora Marble has been the workhorse for the SEMO pitching staff, with 139.2 innings pitched so far this season, and sports a 9-11 overall record, with a 2.66 ERA and 69 strikeouts.
