Austin Peay Lady Govs Softball lacked offense in two losses to Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles

APSU Sports Information

Cookeville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s softball team had its recent struggles to score runs continue, Saturday, with the Lady Govs only scoring three total runs in losing both ends of an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader to Tennessee Tech, 7-0 and 10-3, at Tech Softball Field.

The Lady Govs (8-28, 4-13 OVC) did have its chances in Game 2 to put up some big numbers, scoring twice in the top of the first inning, but they left the bases loaded – along with two more runners being left stranded in the top of the second inning – when they had chances to put some early pressure on Tennessee Tech.

Laurel Burroughs got the first inning started with a single and advanced to second base on an error by the Tech shortstop on a ground ball hit by Christiana Gable. Burroughs  led the Lady Govs with three hits.

A walk to Niya Sparks loaded the bases, with Vinchenza DiBenedetto scoring Burroughs on a fielder’s choice before Morgan Hoeg singled home Gable.

But Tennessee Tech (26-21, 13-6 OVC) starter Erica Tuck got the next two Lady Govs out to end a possible big APSU inning.

The second inning saw the Lady Govs get back-to-back one-out hits from Chandler Groves and Burroughs to set up another scoring opportunity, but Gable and Sparks couldn’t keep the momentum going.

Tennessee Tech tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the inning on three straight hits, including an RBI triple and double from Madison Taylor and Kelly Kennedy, respectively.

Hoeg gave the Lady Govs their final lead of the game in the top of the third with her season’s third home, but that would be APSU’s final run, with Tennessee Tech closing out the game with eight unanswered runs, including seven coming off four home runs by the Golden Eagles for the 10-3 final margin.

Game 1 would see the Lady Govs suffer their season’s sixth shutout, with Tennessee Tech starter Danielle Liberatore limiting Austin Peay to just two hits in her six innings of work – a single by DiBenedetto in the fourth inning and a single by Rikki Arkansas in the fifth. Austin Peay would add a single from Hoeg in the seventh off relief pitcher Taylor Ketchum.

Tennessee Tech, on the other hand, would do more of its damage in the second inning,scoring five runs, while adding solo runs in the first and sixth innings for the 7-0 final.

Austin Peay concludes its four-game OVC road trip 1:00pm, Sunday, with a doubleheader at Jacksonville State.