Austin Peay State University Lady Govs Softball splits doubleheader with Eastern Kentucky Colonels

Kristin Whitmire, Chandler Groves power Lady Govs past EKU

Richmond, KY – Kristin Whitmire hit two home runs and Chandler Groves added a grand slam to power Austin Peay State University’s softball team past Eastern Kentucky University 8-4, April 19th at Gertrude Hood Field, in the nightcap of their Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader after falling to the Colonels 3-0 in the opener.

That brought up Groves, who jumped on EKU (25-16, 13-6 OVC) starter Leanna Pittsbarger’s first pitch and hammered the ball over the left field fence for a grand slam home run and a 5-3 lead.

The home run was Groves’ first career homer.

The score would remain 5-3 until the top of the sixth inning, with Lauren de Castro opening the inning with a single and move into scoring position by a Sparks sacrifice.

Burroughs would then walk, bringing up Whitmire – who homered in the second inning to get the Lady Govs on the board.

Whitmire, who entered the contest with only one homer total this season, blasted a 2-2 Hayley Flynn pitch over the center field fence for a three-run homer and a 8-3 lead.

The second home run by Whitmire also tied the school single-game record for home runs in a contest.

Austin Peay starter Sidney Hooper (4-5) would pitch out of a base-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the inning – giving up only one run on a fielder’s choice by Kayla Joyce – and still holding a four-run advantage, 8-4, heading into the seventh inning.

But Eastern Kentucky wouldn’t go down without a fight in their final at bat, with Christina Ciolek drawing a walk to open the inning followed by a single by Sarah Fobbs — who had given the Colonels the early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with a three-run homer.

Hooper wouldn’t crack though, as she got Shannon McQueen to hit into a fielder’s choice for the first out, and then induce Jessica Gregg to hit into a 6-3 game-ending double play to seal away the 8-4 victory.

Hooper scattered 12 hits in the win, while striking out two and walked just one.

Pittsenbarger (17-8) took the loss giving up five runs on five hits.

In Game 1, Eastern Kentucky got a complete-game two-hitter from Pittsenbarger, who also struck out 16 Lady Govs in the victory.

Taking the Game 1 loss was de Castro (12-12), who pitched well in giving up just one earned run on seven hits, but two Austin Peay errors allowed the Colonels two unearned runs.

Groves and de Castro had the two Lady Govs hits – both singles.

The Lady Govs are off until April 26th, when they make their final road trip of the 2014 regular season, when they travel to Charleston, IL to face Eastern Illinois University in a three-game OVC series.

Box Score – Game 1

Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Austin Peay......... 000 000 0 -  0  2  2
Eastern Kentucky.... 001 020 X -  3  7  0
-----------------------------------------

Box Score – Game 2

Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
Austin Peay......... 010 403 0 -  8 10  1
Eastern Kentucky.... 300 001 0 -  4 12  0
-----------------------------------------