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HomeSportsAPSU Lady Govs Softball opens campaign at Mardi Gras Invitational

APSU Lady Govs Softball opens campaign at Mardi Gras Invitational

APSU Sports Information

Austin Peay State University Lady Govs - APSUClarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s softball team will open its 2014 regular season this weekend in Mobile, AL, at the University of South Alabama Mardi Gras Invitational.

The Lady Govs, who are coming off an 18-26 season under then first-year head coach Stephanie Parris, will open the invitational 1:15pm, Friday, against McNeese State; followed by a 3:30pm, contest versus Syracuse.

APSU Softball opens at Mardi Gras Invitational.
APSU Softball opens at Mardi Gras Invitational.

McNeese State is the defending Southland Conference champions, and has been picked to repeat in their preseason poll, while Syracuse received votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll.

Saturday will see Austin Peay and McNeese State square off in a 9:00am, rematch of Friday’s opener, with 25th-ranked UAB being the Lady Govs game two opponent, starting at 11:15am.

Austin Peay will wrap up its stay on Sunday with a 12:15pm, game versus the host and No. 22 ranked South Alabama.

The Lady Govs are 0-3 all-time versus South Alabama and 0-1 all-time versus UAB. It will be the first meeting in school history for Austin Peay against McNeese State and Syracuse.

The Lady Govs return 10 letterwinners and five starters from last year’s squad, led by two-time Ohio Valley Conference first-team selection senior Lauren de Castro (.383 BA, 8 HR, 35 RBI) and OVC second-team selection Kayla Davidson (.333 BA, 7 HR, 26 RBI).

de Castro is also the Lady Govs top returning pitcher, coming off a 9-13 junior campaign, with a 3.86 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 135 inning worked in 2013.

Austin Peay will also see 12 newcomers – including four junior college transfers – get their first Division I action in Alabama.

The Lady Govs 2014 home opener will be February 15th, when they host IUPUI in a noon doubleheader at Cheryl Holt Field.

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