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HomeSportsAustin Peay State University Lady Govs Softball drops doubleheader to Murray State...

Austin Peay State University Lady Govs Softball drops doubleheader to Murray State Racers

APSU Sports Information

Austin Peay State University Lady Govs - APSUMurray, KY – Austin Peay State University’s softball team had its chances, Saturday afternoon at Racer Field, in its Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader versus Murray State, but left 14 runners on base in coming up short in 3-1 and 5-3 – in eight innings – losses.

Austin Peay Softball. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Softball. (APSU Sports Information)

With the losses, Austin Peay (9-33, 5-17 OVC) was eliminated from post-season consideration – a streak that has now reached eight seasons without a trip to the OVC tournament.

The problem of leaving runners on base started early in Game 1 for the Lady Govs, leaving runners in first and third – in the first inning – and stranding Mel Pavel at second base in the top of the second inning; after she had led off the inning with a double.

Murray State (31-16, 16-7 OVC) did all of its damage in the bottom of the second inning, scoring three times on four hits.

APSU's Vinchenza DiBenedettoAustin Peay would score its lone run in the top of the third inning, with Vinchenza DiBenedetto driving in Chandler Groves with a double, but missed adding on more runs by leaving runners at second and third.

The Lady Govs would leave two more runners on in the fourth and one more in the fifth, to bring their total to eight runners left on base – including five in scoring position.

Natalie Ayala (5-14) took the loss, despite only giving up two hits over her final four innings.

In Game 2, Murray State would take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off APSU starter Allie Blackwood, but that would be the only run Blackwood would give up to the Racers in the first five innings.

APSU's Morgan HoegAgain, Austin Peay would have chances to at least tie – of not take the lead – in the third and fourth innings, but couldn’t push anything across.

In the third inning the Lady Govs got Erica Inagaki to third base with two outs, but left her stranded, while in the fourth they got back-to-back two-out singles from DiBenedetto and Morgan Hoeg to threaten once again, but that elusive run-scoring hit failed to appear for the Lady Govs.

DiBenedetto would lead the Lady Govs with three hits.

But Austin Peay finally broke through in the top of the sixth inning, scoring twice, to take its first lead of the day, 2-1.

Groves would open the inning with a single and move to second base on an infield out.

Pinch-hitter Ashley Eisenbraun would reach on a Murray State error – with Groves moving around to third base.

That is where the Lady Govs would catch one of the few breaks it would get on the day, with DiBenedetto missing on a suicide squeeze, but in the rundown Groves would score the tying run on what turned out to the scored as a steal of home; with Eisenbraun stealing second base.

APSU's Chandler GrovesDiBenedetto would then single to more Eisenbraun to third, where an out later, would score on a single by Pavel.

Murray State would tie the game, 2-2 with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning – on a double and a single – to end a run of eight consecutive batters sat down by Blackwood.

Austin Peay would answer back with a run of its own in the top of the seventh inning, with Rikki Arkansas opening the inning with a double, stealing third, and then scoring on an infield out by Courtney Browner.

Arkansas had two hits in Game 2 and three on the day.

APSU's Rikki ArkansasBut the Racers got a home run from Alexa Becker to open the bottom of the seventh inning, tying the game 3-3, and forcing extra innings.

After failing to score in its half of the with inning, the Lady Govs would see the Racers win in walk-off fashion, with Maggie Glass opening the inning with a double and two outs later score ahead of Mallory Richardson’s first home run of the season, for the 5-3 final.

The two teams will conclude their three-game OVC series, 1:00pm, Sunday at Racer Field in the Lady Govs last road contest of 2015.

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