APSU Softball closes 2017 Season hosting Murray State

Austin Peay (16-32, 4-18 OVC) vs. Murray State (34-15, 10-6 OVC)

Saturday, May 5th, 2017 | 12:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Cheryl Holt Field

Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s softball team will close out its 2017 season by hosting Murray State in an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader, noon, Saturday at Cheryl Holt Field, in what will also be Senior Day for six Governor seniors.

The games are also part of the year-long competition between the two school’s athletic departments in the Heritage Bank Battle of the Border, as well as being alumni weekend; with a pre-game tailgate, two ceremonial first pitches by two former APSU softball players, while in between games of the twinbill all former alumni softball players will be recognized on the field.

Prior to the games the Govs six seniors — Rikki Arkansas, Allie Blackwood, Chandler Groves, Christiana Gable, Autumn Hanners and Sidney Hooper — will be honored for their service, accomplishments and contributions to the APSU softball program over the last four years.

Austin Peay (16-32, 4-18 OVC) comes into the contests having not played since last Friday at Southern Illinois Edwardsville, while Murray State (34-15, 10-6 OVC) dropped a home game to Belmont this past Wednesday.

The doubleheader will be the 23rd and 24th games in the all-time series between the Govs and Racers, dating back to their first meeting on April 10, 2010, with the Govs trailing in the all-time series 17-5 — including a 3-1 loss on March 9th in Murray, KY, at the Racer Classic — and 7-2 in games played in Clarksville.

Offensively after 46 games this season, they are led by sophomore third baseman Danielle Liermann‘s .317 batting average – which includes a team-best 12 doubles to go with nine home runs, along with a team-high 34 runs driven in.

Sophomore catcher Carly Mattson and red-shirt sophomore outfielder Kacy Acree are hitting just below the .300 mark for the season, with Mattson coming in at .296 and Acree sitting at .293.

Mattson has also recorded a team-high 10 home runs and 19 walks, with collecting 21 RBI and scoring 22 runs.

Acree has scored a team-best 31 runs and 15 stolen bases, to go with eight doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 26 RBI.

Sophomore shortstop Kendall Vedder has also posted solid numbers this season, batting .281, with eight doubles and six home runs to go with 21 RBI and 22 runs scored.

In the circle, senior Autumn Hanners and freshman Kelsey Gross have carried most the workload this season for the Govs, with Hanners leading the team with a 3.28 ERA in 123.2 inning pitched in her 26 appearances, while posting a 6-13 win-loss mark and 56 strikeouts.

Gross is 9-9 on the season, also in 26 appearances, with 106 innings pitched, a 6.14 ERA and a team-high 76 strikeouts.

Senior Christiana Gable (1-6, 5.09 ERA, 23 k’s in 42.2 innings) has the other Govs win this season.