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HomeSportsAPSU Lady Govs Softball strikes quickly to take pair from Arkansas-Pine Bluff

APSU Lady Govs Softball strikes quickly to take pair from Arkansas-Pine Bluff

APSU Sports Information

APSU Women's SoftballClarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s (APSU) softball team put up crooked numbers in the first inning of both games of its doubleheader, Saturday, at Cheryl Holt Field, to power its way to a sweep of Arkansas-Pine Bluff by 8-3 and 10-6 finals.

Austin Peay Softball sweeps Arkansas-Pine Bluff Saturday at Cheryl Holt Field. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Softball sweeps Arkansas-Pine Bluff Saturday at Cheryl Holt Field. (APSU Sports Information)

The Govs (4-12) came out swinging in Game 1, with seven of their first eight hitters reached base, including five on base hits.

Chandler Groves led off the first inning by being hit by a pitch and moved to second base an out later on a single by Danielle Liermann, who would lead the Govs with three hits.

Christiana Gable put the Govs up 1-0 with a single, followed by Kendall Vedder driving in two with a double down the left field line. Mel Pavel then drove in a run with a single and Vinchenza DiBenedetto closing out the inning’s scoring with a double to make it 5-0. Pavel and Groves each recorded two hits each.

APSU's Christiana GableArkansas-Pine Bluff (6-16) got on the board in the top of the second inning with a solo run, but Austin Peay answered back with an RBI single from Liermann to make it 6-1.

The score remained that way until the top of the fifth when the Lady Lions scored two runs to cut the APSU lead to 6-3, but the Govs closed out the scoring in Game 1 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, them coming on a sacrifice fly by Kacy Acree and a RBI single by Liermann for the 8-3 final margin.

Autumn Hanners (2-5) got the win for Austin Peay by scattering seven hits over five innings while giving up three runs. She also struck out seven and walked one.

APSU's Kendall VedderNatalie Ayala pitched two scoreless innings in relief to pick up her season’s first save.

Game 2 started much like the opener for Austin Peay, with the Govs picking up three runs on three hits in the first inning. Groves got things going with a single, followed by Acree doubling down the left field line to put runners at second and third.

An out later, Niya Sparks drove in the inning’s first run with a double – scoring Groves – while Acree scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

The final run of the inning came in on a sacrifice fly to right field by Carly Mattson to make it 3-0.

The Lady Lions cut the margin to one, 3-2, with two runs in the top of the second inning, but Austin Peay responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Groves drove in the inning’s first two runs with her season’s first home run, with Liermann driving in Acree for the third run — a triple — while also scoring on the play after a throwing error to make it 7-2.

Groves and Alexis Hill led the Govs in Game 2, with two hits each.

APSU's Chandler GrovesAustin Peay added to its lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, with Mattson driving in both runs with a single.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff put together its best inning of the day in the top of the fifth inning, scoring four times, to cut the APSU lead to 9-6, but the Govs tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning for the 10-6 final.

Allie Blackwood (2-0) picked up the win in relief, going the final five innings — giving up six hits, four runs, while striking out five and walking one.

Austin Peay ends its mini three-game home stand on Wednesday as its hosts Middle Tennessee for a single game, starting at 3:00pm.

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