Austin Peay Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s softball team will close out its 2015 non-conference slate, 3:00pm, Thursday, with a single contest versus Southern Illinois at Cheryl Holt Field.
This will be the second meeting in the last two seasons between the Lady Govs (8-26) and SIU, with Austin Peay sweeping the Salukis in a doubleheader in the previous meeting, March 12th, 2013, by 11-7 and 8-2 finals.
The Lady Govs enter the matchup having lost their last five games, including a three-game Ohio Valley Conference sweep by league leader SIU Edwardsville this past weekend.
Likewise, Southern Illinois (13-21-1) has dropped its last five games heading into a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader, Wednesday, at Evansville.
Offensively, Niya Sparks (.329/7 HR/20 RBI) leads Lady Govs hitters, with Rikki Arkansas (.320/1 2B/4 RBI), Laurel Burroughs (.311/6 HR/19 RBI) and Chandler Groves (.305/4 HR.24 RBI) entering the matchup batting more than .300 after 34 games played.
Conversely, the Salukis have one hitter coming into the game batting more than .300 this season, that being Kalyn Haker at .324 with seven doubles and eight RBI. Sydney Jones (.288/6 HR/25 RBI) is SIU’s leading run producer.
In the circle, Natalie Ayala (4-10/5.30 ERA, 25 Ks) leads the Lady Govs pitching staff, with Sidney Hooper (2-8, 7.88 ERA, 21 Ks) being the other APSU pitcher with multiple victories on the season.
Katie Bertelsen (11-11/5.14 ERA/60 Ks) leads the Salukis pitching staff.
