Austin Peay Lady Govs Softball splits doubleheader with Evansville Purple Aces

APSU Sports: Austin Peay Softball

Evansville, IN – Austin Peay’s Morgan Brewer threw eight shutout innings, while Catie Cozart drove in the game winning run in extra innings Wednesday afternoon, as the Lady Govs defeated the Lady Aces 1-0 in the opener before dropping the night cap 4-1.

Austin Peay (16-28) didn’t fare much better, getting only three hits in the first seven innings of play, but the fourth hit it picked up with the difference maker.

Tied 0-0 after seven inning of play — the game went to the international tie-breaker – with sophomore Kayla Davidson being placed on second base – the first time the Lady Govs had gotten a runner that far in the contest up to that point.

Brewer would move Davidson to third, on a sacrifice bunt, bringing up senior Ashley Bolda with a chance to give the Lady Govs the lead.

Bolda would hit a rocket, but it was right at Lady Aces shortstop Niki Rahming, who snared it for the second out of the inning, which left it up to Cozart — a senior and a Evansville area native.

Cozart wouldn’t disappoint, as she smacked a shot off the fence down the right field corner – just inside the foul line – to score Davidson with what turned out to be the game’s only run.

Brewer would make that run stand up, as she got a groundout and two strikeouts to end the game stranding the tying run on third base.

Senior Amy Mills would lead the Lady Govs with two hits, while freshman Paige Neely had the other Lady Gov hit.

In Game 2, Evansville would score its first run of the day in the bottom of the first inning off Lady Govs starting pitcher Lauren de Castro, recording two hits in the inning.

The score would remain that way until the top of the third inning, when the Lady Govs tied the game 1-1 on a towering home run out over the left field fence by de Castro – her team-leading eighth of the year.

Evansville would take the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth inning on Amy Gaertner’s home run over the center field fence.

The Lady Govs caught some bad luck in the bottom of the fifth inning, when de Castro had to be removed from the pitcher circle after crapping up during her warm-up tosses.

That brought in sophomore Taylor Mills, but she struggled finding the strike zone walking two of the three hitters she face – while giving up a single to the third.

She was also called for two illegal pitches, one brought in a run.

The Lady Aces would score twice in the inning overall to increase their lead to 4-1.

Evansville’s relief pitcher Taylor Perry closed out the game getting six of the final seven Lady Govs she faced to end the game, with red-shirt junior Jessica Ryan picking up a single in the top of the seventh.

Along with Ryan, Brewer, Neely had hits in Game 2, while de Castro led the Lady Govs with two hits.

Box Score – Game 1

Austin Peay at University of Evansville
April 25th, 2012 at Evansville, IN (Cooper Stadium)

Score by Innings                   R  H  E
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Austin Peay......... 000 000 01 -  1  4  3
Uni. of Evansville.. 000 000 00 -  0  4  0
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Box Score – Game 2

Austin Peay at University of Evansville
April 25th, 2012 at Evansville, IN (Cooper Stadium)

Score by Innings                  R  H  E
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Austin Peay......... 001 000 0 -  1  5  0
Uni. of Evansville.. 100 120 X -  4  7  0
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