APSU Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – Natalie Ayala held Tennessee Tech to one run over 6.1 innings, Sunday at Cheryl Holt Field, as Austin Peay State University’s softball team defeated the Golden Eagles 5-1, in Game 1 of an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader, before dropping the nightcap, 12-1.
Ayala (1-10) scattered six hits in her start for Austin Peay (7-34, 3-18 OVC), while striking out four and walking three, not giving up a run until the top of the seventh inning.
The Governors took the lead in the bottom of the third inning on Kacy Acree‘s fifth home run of the season – a two-run shot over the center field wall.
Austin Peay would add another run in the fourth inning on a single by Chandler Groves, while tacking on two more insurance runs in the sixth on a RBI single from Danielle Liermann and a run-scoring double by Carly Mattson.
Groves, Liermann, Mattson and Niya Sparks all recorded two hits each to lead the Govs – with Liermann’s first hit of the game being her 50th hit of the season, a new school record for hits in a season by a freshman.
Sabrie Neeb led Tennessee Tech (19-28, 10-11 OVC) with two hits, while Bayli Cruse drove in the Golden Eagles lone run in the contest.
Danielle Liberatore (12-12) took the loss for Tennessee Tech, giving up five hits and two runs in three innings of work.
While just about everything went the Govs way in Game 1, Game 2 was just the opposite, with Tennessee Tech scoring in every inning – including breaking the game open with a seven-run third inning.
Highlighting the third inning for the Golden Eagles was a three-run homer by Neeb and a two-run single from Callen Griffin.
Austin Peay would score its lone run in the bottom of the third on Courtney Brower‘s first home run of the season.
Liermann and Autumn Hanners had the other two hits in the game for APSU.
Tennessee Tech would add-on three more runs over the final two innings, including solo home runs by Sarah Freels and Olivia Bennett.
Hannah Weaver (3-8) pitched the complete-game win for the Golden Eagles, while Hanners (3-14) took the loss.
Austin Peay is off until next weekend when they make their final road trip of the season with a three-game OVC series at Southeast Missouri.
