APSU Sports Information
Conway, SC – Danielle Liermann hit three of the Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball’s six home runs, Friday morning at St. John Stadium, as the Governors defeated Radford to open play in the Chanticleer Showdown, before dropping a 3-1 final to UNLV.
The three home runs by Liermann is a program single-game record and gives her five home runs in her last two games – also a school record for a two-game stretch.
The Governors continue play in the Chanticleer Showdown on Saturday, with a, 1:00pm, contest versus host Coastal Carolina, followed by a matchup versus Jacksonville, scheduled to begin at 5:30pm.
Austin Peay 12, Radford 4
Austin Peay would come out swinging early against Radford (5-7) with Liermann hitting a two-run homer followed by a solo homer by Carly Mattson for an early 3-0 lead.
Liermann would finish the game with a career single-game high six RBIs.
Brooke Pfefferle would join the home-run parade, with a two-run shot in the third inning, making it 5-0, with the Govs adding single runs in the fourth and fifth innings on RBI groundouts by Mattson and Pfefferle to extend the lead out to 7-0.
Liermann and Mattson would hit back-to-back home runs for the second time in the game in the top of the sixth inning, making it 10-0.
Radford would score four times in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Liermann responded with her third homer of the game in the top of the seventh, driving in two, for the 12-4 final margin.
Morgan Rackel (7-3) picked up the win, giving up four hits and striking out seven.
UNLV 3, Austin Peay 1
The Govs and Rebels (12-3) were in a scoreless pitcher’s duel heading into the bottom of the fourth inning before Austin Peay broke the deadlock with a run, coming on back-to-back doubles by Rackel and Gross.
Rackel would lead the Govs with two hits.
But that run would be the only run the Govs would push across, with UNLV taking the lead for good with two runs in the sixth inning and adding an insurance run in the seventh for the 3-1 final.
Inside the Boxscore
The six total home runs hit versus Radford by Austin Peay is a school single-game record.
Danielle Liermann finished the Radford game with a career-high six RBIs.
Danielle Liermann and Carly Mattson hitting back-to-back home runs twice versus Radford is a school record.
The back-to-back home runs by Danielle Liermann and Carly Mattson were the first for the Govs since Kacy Acree and Liermann hit back-to-back homers versus Indiana State on February 25th, 2017.
The six RBIs by Danielle Liermann are the most by a Gov in a game since Chandler Groves drove in six versus Samford on March 25, 2015.
The three RBIs by Brooke Pfefferle versus Radford tied a career high.
After turning just nine double plays in 58 games during the 2018 season, the Govs two double plays on Friday bring their season total to 12 in just 18 games this season.
The Govs game versus UNLV was only the second time the Govs have ever played a team from the Mountain West Conference (Colorado State/2003).
APSU Head Coach Kassie Stanfill Statements
On Liermann’s big game at the plate
“Every time Danielle got into the box, she had that mindset that she was going to do something with the ball.”
On the team’s resent power surge
“The last few games as a team we’ve come out super aggressive at the plate. That’s something we’ve been talking to them about, and working on, and its been working out to our favor.”
