56.7 F
Clarksville
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeSportsAPSU Softball plays defending OVC Champion Jacksonville State at home, Friday

APSU Softball plays defending OVC Champion Jacksonville State at home, Friday

Austin Peay vs. Jacksonville State

Friday, April 13th, 2018 | 3:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Cheryl Holt Field
APSU SoftballClarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s softball team will host defending Ohio Valley Conference softball champion Jacksonville State, 3:00pm, Friday at Cheryl Holt Field for a doubleheader.

The Govs enter the matchup versus the Gamecocks with a 24-12 overall record this spring, including an 8-2 mark in OVC play, after dropping a non-conference mid-week game to Middle Tennessee on Wednesday, while Jacksonville State (21-17, 9-1 OVC) has not played since last Sunday.

Austin Peay Softball plays doubleheader against Jacksonville State Friday afternoon at Cheryl Holt Field. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Softball plays doubleheader against Jacksonville State Friday afternoon at Cheryl Holt Field. (APSU Sports Information)

Friday’s doubleheader will be the 40th and 41st games overall in the series between Austin Peay and Jacksonville State, dating back to their first meeting back on March 6th, 1993, with the Govs trailing in the all-time series 29-10.

Leading the Govs offense attack is junior third baseman Danielle Liermann, who enters the twinbill hitting at a .417 clip, including a team- and OVC-high 15 home runs and 44 RBIs.

2018 APSU Softball - Natalie SchillingBut Liermann hasn’t had to carry the offensive load alone, with four other Govs hitting over the .300-mark so far this season.

Leading the quartet of .300 hitters is junior outfielder Natalie Schilling (.324, 34 R, 27 SB), followed by freshman outfielder Bailey Shorter (.320, 2 HR, 13 RBI), junior pitcher/outfielder Morgan Rackel (.307, 6 HR, 23 RBI) and junior outfielder Kacy Acree (.301, 6 HR, 22 RBI).

2018 APSU Softball - Kelly MardonesIn the circle, the Govs have three pitchers that have posted .500-or-better records this spring, led by Rackel’s 12-5 mark, which includes a 1.83 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 111 innings of work. She has also recorded two saves.

Junior Kelly Mardones has posted an 8-3 mark this season, with a 2.13 ERA and 24 k’s in 79 innings, while sophomore Kelsey Gross rounds out the trio, coming in at 4-4, with two saves, a 4.40 ERA and 27 k’s in 43 innings pitched.

Follow the Govs softball team on Austin Peay’s official athletics website Let’sGoPeay.com or on Twitter @AustinPeaySB for more information or updates.

About the Jacksonville State Gamecocks

Jacksonville State GamecocksOffensively, the Gamecocks are batting .278 as a team this spring with three players batting .316-or-better – led by Taylor Beshears’ .368 batting average. She also leads her team in home runs (6) and RBIs (25).

In the circle, Faith Sims has been the workhorse for JSU this spring, with a 13-7 record, a 2.19 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 131 innings pitched.

Govs Hit-and-Run

Austin Peay has lost its last eight meetings with the Gamecocks.

2018 APSU Softball - Danielle LiermannThree Govs (Natalie Schilling .667), Carly Mattson (.538) and Danielle Liermann (.500) are hitting .500-or-better on the current five-game homestand heading into the JSU doubleheader.

Pitcher Morgan Rackel has only walked two hitters in her last 53.1 innings of work, while striking out 53 hitters over the same period.

Junior outfielder Kacy Acree has reached base in 12 straight games.

11 of the Govs 39 home runs this season have come in leading-off an inning.

The Govs have recorded 10-or-more hits in four of the five games during the current homestand.

RELATED ARTICLES

Latest Articles