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HomeSportsAPSU Softball splits doubleheader at SIU Edwardsville, OVC Title hopes dashed

APSU Softball splits doubleheader at SIU Edwardsville, OVC Title hopes dashed

APSU SoftballEdwardsville, IL – The Austin Peay State University softball team’s hopes of a part of the regular-season Ohio Valley Conference title ended in extra-innings, Sunday afternoon, May 5th at Cougars Field, as the Governors fell to SIU Edwardsville, 5-4, in eight innings, after winning the opening game of the day, 10-5.

Austin Peay Softball redshirt junior Kacy Acree had 6 hits on 7 at bats in doubleheader against SIU Edwardsville, Sunday. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Softball redshirt junior Kacy Acree had 6 hits on 7 at bats in doubleheader against SIU Edwardsville, Sunday. (APSU Sports Information)

The Govs (31-20, 16-6 OVC) finish the regular-season tied with Eastern Kentucky and Murray State for third-place in the conference standings, and due to tie-breakers, will be the third-seed in this upcoming week’s OVC Softball Championship – which begins Wednesday, May 8th at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, AL.

Austin Peay will open play, 3:00pm, Wednesday versus the winner of the, 10:00am, elimination game between sixth-seed Belmont and seventh-seed UT Martin.

Game 1

Austin Peay 10, SIUE 5

2019 APSU Softball - Danielle LiermannThe Govs led wire-to-wire in the opening game of the day, jumping on SIUE (16-27, 8-14 OVC) early when Austin Peay’s all-time RBI leader Danielle Liermann drove in two runs with a single.

Austin Peay would add to its lead with an RBI double from Kacy Acree, in the second inning, then score three more runs in the third — coming on back-to-back RBI doubles from Lexi Osowski and Kelsey Gross and the third on a single by Drew Dudley, to make it 6-0.

Austin Peay would continue to add runs, scoring one more in the fifth inning – on an Acree single – and then two more in the sixth inning on Liermann’s OVC-leading 18th home run and an RBI single by Gross for a 9-0 advantage.

2019 APSU Softball - Kelsey GrossSIUE would try to rally, scoring four times in their half of the sixth inning, to get back to within five runs, 9-4, but they would get no closer.

Austin Peay State University added a final run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single from Osowski before allowing one final run to the Cougar in the bottom of the inning for the 10-5 final.

Gross (7-1) picked up the win for the Govs, going six innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, while walking one and striking out three.

 

Game 2

SIUE 5, Austin Peay 4 (Eight Innings)

2019 APSU Softball - Kacy AcreeMuch like the opening game of the day, the Govs didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard, with Acree opening the game with a double and scoring two batters later on a single by Liermann for a quick 1-0 lead.

They would add three more runs in the second inning, with Osowski stealing home for the first run of the inning, Dudley driving in the second with a triple and Acree the third with a sacrifice fly, to make it 4-0 Govs.

The score would remain that way until the bottom of the fourth inning, when SIUE scored two runs – aided by two APSU errors – to make it a two-run game, 4-2.

After a scoreless fifth inning by both teams, the Cougars would make it a one run game in the sixth inning and tie the game 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh.

2019 APSU Softball - Morgan RackelThe Govs had a chance in the top of the eighth to retake the lead, getting a runner into scoring position at second base, but couldn’t advance her any further.

SIUE would take advantage of its second chance, getting the winning run into scoring position at third base with a triple to open the inning, followed by the game-winning single into right field to hand the Govs the 5-4 loss and end their run at a part of the regular-season OVC title.

Morgan Rackel (20-7) took the loss for the Govs, despite striking out 11.

Inside the Boxscore

2018 APSU Softball - Natalie SchillingNatalie Schilling became the program’s all-time leader in stolen base with her 58th career steal in the fifth inning of Game 1.

Danielle Liermann became the ninth player in program history to scored 100 runs in a career, when she scored on her sixth inning home run in Game 1.

With her six hits Sunday, Kacy Acree moves past APSU Athletics Hall of Famer Andrea Miller (1993-96) for second-place all time in program history with 214 career hits.

With her triple in Game 2 Sunday, Kacy Acree became the seventh player in program history, and the first since the 2000 season, to record at least 10 triples in a career.

Kelsey Gross picked up her 20th career win in Game 1 Sunday, tying Ashley Elrod (2006-09) and Amanda Stout (1997-98) for 10th-most wins in a career.

Lexi Osowski’s steal of home was the first by a Gov since Kacy Acree stole home versus Rutgers on March 17th, 2018.

Kacy Acree and Drew Dudley both recorded triples in Game 2, marking the first two triple game by Austin Peay since March 13th, 2013 versus Lipscomb.

Kelsey Gross recorded a single-game career high with four hits in Game 1.

With their 26 total hits versus SIUE, Austin Peay has now recorded 418 hits this season, the most in a single season by a Govs squad in program history.

With their seven doubles versus SIUE, Austin Peay has now recorded 71 doubles this season, the most in a single season by a Govs squad in program history.

In recording 15 strikeouts versus SIUE in the doubleheader, the Govs pitching staff has recorded 300 strikeouts this season, marking the sixth time in program history a Govs pitching staff as recorded at least 300 strikeouts in a season.

Danielle Liermann and Kacy Acree became only the second pair of teammates to both record at least 60 hits each in the same season.

Danielle Liermann picked up her 50th RBI of the season, making her the only player in program history to have two seasons of at least 50 RBIs.

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