APSU Sports: Austin Peay Softball
Charleston, IL – For a third straight time in its season-ending Ohio Valley Conference series versus Eastern Illinois, the Austin Peay State University’s softball team got a stellar pitching performance, but like the other two games they came up just a little bit short in falling to the Panthers, 1-0.
Morgan Brewer (10-15) got the start for Austin Peay (19-31, 10-20 OVC) and limited Eastern Illinois to just four hits and one run, but lost her second 1-0 contest of the weekend — and her third overall 1-0 loss this season.In fact, of Brewer’s 15 overall losses this season nine have come in one-run fashion.
Eastern Illinois (28-24, 18-10 OVC), who finished conference play in second place behind Tennessee Martin, scored the game’s lone run in the bottom of the third inning after Austin Peay had gotten the first two hitters out to start the frame.
Bailey O’Dell and Melise Brown went down quickly on a pop up and a ground out to open the third, but Brewer’s only walk of the game to Carly Willert get the Panthers inning going.
Ashleigh Westover followed with a single to left to advance Willert into scoring position at second base.
That brought up designated player Ashley Anderton, who singled through the right side of the Lady Govs infield for a single, scoring Willert just ahead of senior right fielder Ashley Bolda’s throw to the plate.
Anderton led the Panthers with two of the four hits recorded against Brewer on Sunday.
Austin Peay would threaten in the top of the fourth inning with freshman Paige Neely picking up a one-out single through the left side of the Eastern Illinois infield for the Lady Govs first hit of the game.
She was pinch-ran for by sophomore Tia Johnson, who moved into scoring position by stealing second base.
But Eastern Illinois starter Stephanie Maday (17-13) got senior Amy Mills on a come-backer, for the second out of the inning and after a four pitch walk to Brewer, got senior Catie Cozart on strikes to end the inning.
Neely also singled in the top of the seventh inning to give her 49 hits on the season, which ties the school record for hits by a freshman accomplished twice before by Andrea Miller (1993) and Daniella Hooper (2007).
The Lady Govs only other hit on Sunday was a leadoff single to left field by Bolda to start the fifth inning.
Austin Peay also played the series finale without the services of normal starting third baseman Kayla Davidson, who was held out after suffering a grade one concussion in the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday versus the Panthers.