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HomeSportsAPSU Lady Govs Softball to play in Hilltopper Classic this weekend

APSU Lady Govs Softball to play in Hilltopper Classic this weekend

APSU Sports Information

Austin Peay State University Lady Govs - APSUClarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s softball team will be making the short trip north to Bowling Green, KY, this weekend to participate in the Holiday Inn Hilltopper Classic, the second of four straight road weekends for the Lady Govs to open the 2016 season.

Austin Peay Women's Softball heads to Bowling Green Kentucky for Hilltopper Classic. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Women’s Softball heads to Bowling Green Kentucky for Hilltopper Classic. (APSU Sports Information)

The Lady Govs will begin play with two straight games versus the classic’s host, Western Kentucky at the WKU Softball Complex – the first Friday at 12:30pm, with the second coming 2:30pm, Saturday, followed by a 5:00pm, contest against Murray State. Austin Peay will conclude play 9:30am, Sunday, versus Missouri State to wrap-up play in the classic.

APSU has a history on the softball diamond with all three teams in the classic, with the Lady Govs being 0-3 all-time versus Missouri Valley Conference member Missouri State (3-2), but haven’t faced the Bears since March 23rd, 1996 at the Tennessee Tournament of Champions (Knoxville, TN).

APSU's Kacy AcreeMurray State (2-2), like APSU, is an Ohio Valley Conference member, with the Lady Govs holding a 4-13 all-time record versus the Racers. Their contest will be the first time Austin Peay has played an OVC opponent in a non-conference matchup since facing Southeast Missouri, February 26th, 2011 at the Red & Blue Classis (Oxford, MS).

Finally, Western Kentucky (3-1) is a member of Conference USA, with the Lady Govs owning a 2-21 all-time mark versus the Hilltoppers. The two teams last met February 25th, 2011 at the Red and Blue Classic (Oxford, MS).

The Lady Govs enter the weekend with a 1-1 overall record, after splitting a doubleheader at Gardner-Webb last Saturday, winning Game 1 in a slugfest 15-12, before dropping the nightcap, 9-2.

APSU's Kendall VedderSeveral Lady Govs had solid opening weekends at Gardner-Webb, led by red-shirt freshman Kacy Acree, who had five RBIs and three runs scored while becoming the first lady Govs to hit a home run in her first college at-bat since Mel Pavel in 2013. Acree also added a three-run double and two walks, as she reached base five times in her nine plate appearances.

Junior Rikki Arkansas had a career single-game best 4-for-4 effort at the plate in the Gardner-Webb opener on her way to a .571 batting average, while freshman Kendall Vedder batted .500 (3-for-6) and senior Vinchenza DiBenedetto and freshman Carly Mattson each batted .400 (2-for-5).

In the circle, junior Allie Blackwood picked up the Lady Govs’ win last weekend, coming out of the bullpen to pitch the final 3 2/3 innings and striking out a team-best three hitters.

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