Austin Peay State University Lady Govs Softball splits doubleheader with Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles

APSU Sports: Austin Peay Softball

Cookeville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s softball team stopped a five-game Ohio Valley Conference losing streak with a spilt of its doubleheader at Tennessee Tech Tuesday afternoon, winning 7-4 then losing the nightcap 7-0.

Kayla Davidson started the inning with a leadoff single down the third base line and moved around to third on a flared single into short right field by Laurel Burroughs. The Lady Govs would then pull off a double steal, with Davidson scoring on the back side for the first run of the game.

A pitch later, Austin Peay would make it 3-0, with Lauren de Castro hitting her seventh home run of the season out over the left field fence. Davidson, Burroughs, de Castro and Mel Pavel all recorded two hits in Game 1

An error and a hit batter, to open the bottom of the second inning, allowed the Golden Eagles to cut the Lady Govs led to one run, 3-2. Kendall Hooper reached on an error by Davidson and moved to second base when de Castro hit Madison Taylor. An out later, Tennessee Tech scored on a double to center field by Chanelle Spalding.

The second run of the inning came in on a sacrifice fly to left by Angi Sakamoto.

The Golden Eagles would return the favor in the top of the third, with two errors allowing Austin Peay to score twice to push its lead back out to three, 5-2. A double by de Castro opened the inning, but the next two Lady Govs failed to reach.

The Golden Eagles defense then failed them, with Shelby Norton reaching on an error by pitcher Claudia Harke, with de Castro moving to third. Norton would then steal second, but the throw got by both the second baseman and the center fielder allowing both de Castro and Norton to score.

The score would remain that way until the bottom of the sixth, when Sakamoto smacked a two-run shot out to right-center field to make it 5-4 Austin Peay. But the Lady Govs would respond by getting the two runs back in the top of the seventh.

Burroughs hit her sixth home run of the season — to lead off the inning — while the second run came in on a double down the left field line by Pavel scoring Niya Sparks, who had reached via a walk.

The win went to de Castro (7-10); while Abby Guest came in a pitched the final four outs to pick up her first save of the season.

Game 2 wasn’t as kind to the Lady Govs, as Tennessee Tech (19-20, 8-6 OVC) was the team that jumped out to a quick lead.

The Golden Eagles scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning on Hooper’s third home run of the season, down the left field line, also scoring Hannah Eldridge – who reached by a walk. Tennessee Tech would add two more run in the bottom of the second – on only one hit – as a hit by pitch, a walk and an infield single loaded the bases, with two outs.

A walk to Eldridge forced in the first run, while Pavel was called for a catcher’s interference to bring in the second run of the inning.

The score would remain that way until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Tennessee Tech scored three runs for the 7-0 final margin.

Austin Peay was limited to just three hits in the night cap, by de Castro, Norton and Courtney Brower.

The Lady Govs return to action April 20th and April 21st, as they travel to Nashville each day for a pair of doubleheaders, beginning at Belmont and follow the next day at Tennessee State.

Box Score – Game 1

Score by Innings                  R  H  E
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Austin Peay......... 302 000 2 -  7 10  3
Tennessee Tech...... 020 002 0 -  4  6  3
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Box Score – Game 2

Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Austin Peay......... 000 000 0 -  0  3  1
Tennessee Tech...... 220 030 X -  7  7  0
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