Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball pitchers Shelby Harpe and Jordan Benefiel combined to throw a three-hit shutout for the Govs in its Ohio Valley Conference series finale versus Tennessee State, Sunday at Cathi Maynard Park-Cheryl Holt Field, as the Govs defeated the Tigers, 4-0.
Making her first start of the season for Austin Peay (23-9, 18-7 OVC), Harpe (1-0) went the first five innings versus the Tigers (8-27, 4-21 OVC), giving up just three singles and three walks, while Benefiel picked up her first collegiate save after coming in and throwing two shutout innings in relief, giving up no hits and striking out three.
After trading two scoreless innings, Austin Peay State University would break on top in the third inning, scoring a couple of runs on a two-out single-to-center field by Brooke Pfefferle, driving in Kendyl Weinzapfel and Kelsey Gray.
The Govs would add-on two insurance runs in the sixth inning, with Mea Clark leading off the hit with her first career hit – a double to left field – and scoring a batter later off a single by Emily Harkleroad to make it 3-0 Govs.
Drew Dudley would then score Harkleroad with an infield out for the 4-0 final margin.
Inside the Boxscore
The win guarantees the APSU Govs a winning season, their third in the last four years.
The victory was the Govs 13th this season at home, the most ever in one season at Cathi Maynard Park-Cheryl Holt Field.
Austin Peay State University completed its homestand with a 7-1 record, with their only loss coming in extra innings.
The shutout was the Govs seventh this season.
APSU pitching did not allow Tennessee State to score a run in the final 15 innings of the series.
After 32 games, the Govs have six players (Lexi Osowski, Brooke Pfefferle, Bailey Shorter, Kelsey Gross, Drew Dudley, Emily Harkleroad) hitting over .300 this season.
The Govs were a perfect 10-for-10 in stolen bases during the TSU series.
In picking up the save, Jordan Benefiel becomes the third APSU pitcher this season (Kelsey Gross, Harley Mullins) to record a save, tying the school record for most pitchers recording saves in a single season.
The double by Mea Clark was the first pinch-hit recorded by a Govs hitter this season.
Austin Peay State University turned two double plays on defense versus the Tigers, including an unassisted double play by Kelsey Gross in the fifth inning.
The APSU Govs had recorded six saves this season, the second-most in a single season in program history, trailing only the seven saves recorded by the 2018 team.
