Bowling Green, KY – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team had its chances, Friday at the WKU Softball Complex during the opening day of the Hilltopper Spring Fling, but left 19 runners on base during the two games in coming up short to Illinois State, 11-4, and to Western Kentucky, 8-4, in the nightcap.
The APSU Govs will continue play at the Spring Fling tournament Saturday, as they face IUPUI at 10:00am, and depending on their seed after that game will play their semifinal game at either 3:00pm or 5:30pm, versus a yet undecided opponent.
Illinois State 11, Austin Peay State University 4
After a scoreless first inning, the Govs saw the Redbirds score four times in the top of the second, but answered back with three run of their own in the bottom of the frame – with all three coming in on Brooke Pfefferle’s second home run of the season.
Illinois State (8-7) would add two more runs in the top of the third to extend their lead to 6-3, with Austin Peay State University getting one back in the bottom of the inning on Kelsey Gray’s RBI single that scored Katelyn Smith to make it 6-4.
Gray and Pfefferle would finish the game with two hits each for the Govs.
But that would be as close as the Govs would get, as the Redbirds slowly pulled away late by scoring two runs in each of the fifth and six innings with a final run in the seventh for the 11-4 final.
Western Kentucky 8, Austin Peay State University 4
After seeing the Hilltoppers take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, the APSU Govs would put together their best offensive inning of the day, scoring three runs on three hits, including a two-run triple down the right field line by Lexi Osowski that brought in Bailey Shorter and Pfefferle, while Emily Harkleroad followed with a single to score Osowski for a 3-1 lead.
The lead would be short lived, as WKU answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game, 3-3.
But that would be the final run of the game for Austin Peay State University, who saw WKU plate four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead for good, while adding a solo run in the sixth for the final 8-4 margin.
Inside the Boxscore
Brooke Pfefferle’s three RBIs versus Illinois State tie a career single game high.
Kelsey Gray’s two hits versus Illinois State was the first multi-hit game of her career.
Lexi Osowski’s triple versus Western Kentucky was the first of her career.
Brooke Pfefferle has now reached base in a team-best 12 consecutive games.
The three hits for Osowski versus Western Kentucky was her second three-hit game of the year.
The Govs defense recorded a season high 11 assists versus Western Kentucky, including a career single-game high of five for second baseman Drew Dudley.
