APSU Sports: Austin Peay Softball
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s softball team will hit the road this weekend to close out its 2012 schedule with a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series versus Eastern Illinois in Charleston, IL.
This weekend’s contests also will be the final games in the careers of three Lady Govs seniors: pitcher/outfielder Ashley Bolda (Wentzville, MO), centerfielder Catie Cozart (Newburgh, IN) and catcher Amy Mills (Chelsea, OK).
Austin Peay (19-28, 10-17 OVC) comes into the series playing some of its season’s best softball, having won seven of its last 10 games, including a first-ever three-game sweep of Jacksonville State last weekend. However, the Lady Govs enter the weekend in ninth place in the OVC standings and will not qualify for the OVC tournament.
Meanwhile, Eastern Illinois is in fourth place in the OVC standings (15-10) and conceivably could still gain the second-seed and accompanying bye in the upcoming league tournament.
Offensively, the Lady Govs are led by sophomore first baseman/pitcher Lauren de Castro, who is hitting .386, with team bests in runs scored (29), RBI (29), slugging percentage (.641), on-base percentage (.447), doubles (10), home runs (9) and walks (14).
In the circle, junior Morgan Brewer leads the Lady Govs pitching staff with an 10-13 win-loss mark this season, including going 3-0 last week to earn adidas ® OVC Pitcher of the Week honors. She enters the weekend with a 3.24 ERA to go with 103 strikeouts in 153.1 innings of work.
Leading the team in ERA (2.55) is de Castro, who sports a 6-6 record with 64 strikeouts in 93.1 inning of work.
Eastern Illinois (25-24) is led offensively by Bailey O’Dell, who enters the matchup batting .361 with 17 doubles and 23 RBI.
Stephanie Maday paces the Panthers pitching staff with 200.1 innings pitched that has translated into a 15-13 overall record, a 2.03 ERA and 187 strikeouts.
