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APSU Softball’s Morgan Rackel powers team to 4-1 win over Samford, Govs drop nightcap 8-4

APSU Sports Information

APSU SoftballHomewood, AL – Austin Peay State University’s Morgan Rackel fanned nine, while driving in two versus Samford, Wednesday, as the Governors split a doubleheader with the Bulldogs, winning the opener 4-1 before falling in the nightcap, 8-4.

Austin Peay Softball's splits doubleheader at Samford Wednesday winning first game 4-1 before losing second game, 8-4. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Softball’s splits doubleheader at Samford Wednesday winning first game 4-1 before losing second game, 8-4. (APSU Sports Information)

Rackel only allowed a second-inning run to the Bulldogs, while scattering seven hits and walking two in picking up her 13th win of the season in 19 decisions, she also accounted for two of the Govs (25-15) four runs versus Samford with a sacrifice fly and a home run.

Austin Peay returns to Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders versus Belmont and Tennessee State.

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

Game 1

Austin Peay 4, Samford 1

2018 APSU Softball - Morgan RackelThe Govs would see Samford jump out 1-0 with a run in the bottom of the second inning, but respond to tie the game up, 1-1, in the third inning when Bailey Shorter – who reached with a double – scored from third base on a Bulldogs (15-31) wild pitch.

The score would remain that way until the top of the fifth, when Ausitn Peay scored twice – the first run coming on an infield single by Kacy Acree and the second scoring on a sacrifice fly by Rackel – to make it 3-1.

Acree and Shorter would both finish with two hits each in Game 1.

The Govs would tack-on a final run in the seventh inning on Rackel’s seventh home run of the season.

Game 2

Samford 8, Austin Peay 4

2018 APSU Softball - Carly MattsonThe nightcap would once again see the Bulldogs get on the board early-on with a run in the bottom of the first, but the Govs would respond with two runs in the top of the second coming on a lead-off home run by Carly Mattson – her eighth of the season — and an RBI triple by Brooke Pfefferle.

But Samford would take the lead for good with a four-run fourth to go up 5-2.

It would be 6-2 when the Govs scored their final two runs of the game, in the top of the fifth to cut the margin to 6-4, with Kelsey Gross forcing one in on a bases-loaded walk and Emily Moore driving in the other with a single up the middle.

Samford would score two final runs in the sixth inning for the 8-4 final.

Inside the Box Score

With its pitchers striking out 14 on Wednesday, Austin Peay’s pitching staff goes over 200 total strikeouts for the season for the first time since 2007.

The 6:50pm start of Game 2 was the latest game start time for the Govs this season.

Carly Matson’s home run versus Samford was the 23rd of her career, moving her alone into fourth-place all-time in the program’s history.

The Govs finish the season going 5-2 versus Team from the Southern Conference.

Morgan Rackel’s win was her 13th of the season, the most by a Govs pitcher in a single season since 2007.

Coaching Quotables with Head Coach Rodney DeLong

On Morgan Rackel’s Game 1 production
“Morgan carried us in Game 1 and we needed to come out and win that first game. Morgan has been solid pitching all spring and now her hitting is really coming on.”

On leaving runners on base
“Leaving runners on base is something we’ve dealt with most of the year. We’re able to get people on base and put pressure on the other teams, but we don’t get the big hit. We just have to do a better job of hitting with runners on base and hopefully getting Danielle (Liermann) back will help take some of the pressure off. No matter what the level, having your best hitter back in the lineup helps.”

On getting ready for big OVC weekend
“This is definitely a big conference weekend for us. We haven’t played really well lately, but we get Dani back this weekend and hopefully we’ll find a way to win three or four this weekend and slingshot us up to the top of the conference with s big Illinois (schools) series next week.”

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