Nashville, TN – The Austin Peay State University’s softball team split its Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader with Tennessee State, Saturday afternoon at Tiger Field, with the Govs winning the opener, 8-4, before coming up short in the nightcap, 3-1.
Austin Peay 8, Tennessee State 4
The Govs (18-19, 5-8 OVC) and Tigers (12-26, 3-10 OVC) traded three scoreless innings to open the game, but the fourth inning would see Austin Peay score five times aided by four hits and three TSU errors.
That would be followed by the Tigers second error of the inning, as a ground ball by Emily Harkleroad was thrown away trying to attempt to throw the runner out at home, with Pfefferle and Campbell scoring.
TSU would commit its third error of the inning on a fly ball off the bat of Mea Clark, allowing her to go all the way around to third, with Weinzapfel and Harkleroad scoring.
APSU’s final run of the inning came two batters later, with Bailey Shorter driving in Clark with an infield single.
That would be more than enough for Govs starter Harley Mullins (4-4) who went six innings, giving up five hits and three runs, while walking one and striking out five, before giving way to Samantha Miner, who came to pitch the seventh, giving up two hits, an unearned run and striking out one.
The Tigers would score their first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth, but the APSU Govs would get that run back in the top of the fifth, with Weinzapfel scoring on a wild pitch, making it 6-1.
Austin Peay State University would extend its lead out to 8-1 in the sixth, with Lexi Osowski doubling in Shorter and Megan Hodum, who had both reached on singles.
Tennessee State would tap on two runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh for the 8-4 final.
Tennessee State 3, Austin Peay 1
The APSU Govs would score first in the nightcap, with Osowski hitting her 10th home run of the season in the top of the third.
TSU would take the lead for good in the fourth, with the Tigers scoring twice, the first on a wild pitch and the second on a two-out single.
The Tigers would add an insurance run in the sixth, with that run coming in on a wild pitch.
Jordan Benefiel (9-7) took the hard-luck loss for the Govs, giving up three runs on six hits, while walking two and striking out seven.
Inside the Boxscore
Lexi Osowski’s run in Game 2 was the 107th of her career, moving her into fourth place all-time.
Brooke Pfefferle’s Game 1 run was her 106th of her career, tying her for fifth-most all-time.
Bailey Shorter’s run in Game 1 was the 103rd of her career, tying her for eighth-most all-time
Osowski’s double in Game 1 was her 12th of the season, tying her for 10th place for most doubles recorded in a single season.
Mea Clark hit her first career triple in Game 1.
Osowski’s two extra-base hits moves her into sixth place all-time for career extra-base hits, with 69.
Osowski’s three RBIs on the day gives her 35 for the season, tying her for 10th most in a single season by a Governor.
Kylie Campbell recorded hits in both games, extending her current streak of consecutive games with a base hit to a season-long six straight games.
Osowski’s seven total bases ties her for eighth-most in a single season, at 97.
Next Up For APSU Softball
The Austin Peay State University Softball team concludes its three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Tennessee State on Sunday at 1:00pm with a single game at Tiger Field.
For news and updates on everything Governors softball, follow along on Twitter (@GovsSB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
