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APSU Softball beats Murray State 3-2 to advance at OVC Tournament

APSU SoftballOxford, AL – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team had to wait out weather delays Thursday night to play and defeat Murray State 3-2. With the win, the Govs advance to Day 3 of the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Championship. The Governors dropped the morning contest to Jacksonville State, 7-2.

The Govs will now play the winner of Friday mornings 9:00am contest between Belmont and Eastern Kentucky at 11:30am.

Austin Peay Softball outfielder Kacy Acree went 2 for 3 against Murray State Thursday night. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Softball outfielder Kacy Acree went 2 for 3 against Murray State Thursday night. (APSU Sports Information)

Game 1

Jacksonville State 7, Austin Peay 2

Austin Peay got off to a quick start versus the Gamecocks, scoring a first inning run when Morgan Rackel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded – scoring Bailey Shorter for a 1-0 lead.

The score would remain that way until the bottom of the third inning, when Jacksonville State (35-13) took the lead, 2-1, on a two-run homer.

A Govs error would allow the Gamecocks to extend their lead in the fourth, hitting a three-run homer following the miscue to go up 5-1.

Austin Peay would score its final run in the top of the fifth, with Shorter coming all the way around from first base on a double to left-center field by Danielle Liermann.

Liermann would finish the game with three of the Govs four total hits – Rackel had the other — while Shorter reached base three times on three walks and scored both APSU runs.

Jacksonville State closed out the game’s scoring with two final runs in the bottom of the fifth for the 7-2 final.

Game 2

Austin Peay 3, Murray State 0

After being held to just one hits over the first five innings versus the Racers (26-27), the Govs exploded for three runs in the bottom of the sixth innings to break-up the scoreless pitcher’s duel.

Brooke Pfefferle would start the sixth inning off by being hit by a pitch, ending a string of 15 straight outs by the Govs.

She would be followed by Drew Dudley, who hammered a ball to the fence in right-center field for a double and scoring Pfefferle all the way around for first for a 1-0 lead.

After Dudley was lifted for pinch runner Katie Keen, Kacy Acree blasted a ball to center field for a triple, scoring Keen, and giving the Govs a 2-0 lead.

After a Shorter walk, Liermann would drive in Acree with a groundout for a 3-0 advantage.

Those three runs were more than enough for Rackel, as she set the Racers down in order in the seventh for her sixth shutout of the season, limiting Murray State to five hits, while striking out eight.

Inside the Boxscore

Kacy Acree recorded her 68th hit of the season, with a single in the first inning versus Murray State, setting the program’s single season record for hits by an individual player.

The victory versus Murray State was the Govs 33rd of the season, the second-highest number of wins in a single season in program history.

Bailey Shorter set a personal single-game high with three walks versus Jacksonville State.

Kacy Acree set the record for most at bats in a single season (185) during the Jacksonville State game.

Katie Keen has scored nine runs this season as a pinch runner.

Kacy Acree’s triple versus Murray State was the Govs ninth triple of the season, the most by the Govs in a single season since 2013.

 

APSU Head Coach Kassie Stanfill Statements

On keeping their tournament run alive
“I was very proud of the way we came out and bounced back after this morning’s game and battle every inning after having to wait through the long rain delay. Morgan (Rackel) pitched a great game and we strung some hits together to get runs in when we had a scoring chance.”

On moving forward in the tournament
“We just have to take it one game at a time and play Austin Peay softball. We know both Belmont and Eastern Kentucky are quality opponents and we’ll have to come out and play well in all three areas (hitting, pitching and defense) if we are going to beat them.”

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