Clarksville, TN – Graduate third baseman Lexi Osowski-Anderson set the school record for career base hits, Saturday at Cathi Maynard Park-Cheryl Holt Field, but the Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team still came up short in two ASUN Conference contests to North Alabama, by 6-3 and 8-3 finals.
Osowski-Anderson, who extended her current hit streak for the Austin Peay State University (24-16, 11-6 ASUN) to eight straight games, recorded her 229th career hits in the third inning of Game 2 of the doubleheader, passing Danielle Liermann, who played for the APSU Govs during the 2016-19 seasons.
Game 1
North Alabama 6, Austin Peay 3
After giving up a first inning run to North Alabama (26-11-1, 8-8-1 ASUN), answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning.
Skylar Sheridan would start the rally by drawing a one-out walk, followed by a single by Kendyl Weinzapfel.
That would bring up Mea Clark, who blasted a 3-2 pitch off the wall in center field, scoring Sheridan and Weinzapfel to put the APSU Govs up, 2-1.
The Lions would tie the game with a run in the top of the third, but the APSU Govs retook the lead, 3-2, in the bottom of the inning on Osowski-Anderson’s fifth home run of the season.
Unfortunately, that would be the final run the APSU Govs would score in the contest, as North Alabama scored the game’s final four runs, all coming via home runs.
Game 2
North Alabama 6, Austin Peay 3
Austin Peay State University would fall behind early, giving up runs in each of the first three innings to trail 4-0.
The APSU Govs would get on the board in the bottom of the third, with Emily Harkleroad opening the inning with a single and two batters later score on Osowski-Anderson’s record setting base hit, making it 4-1.
North Alabama would extend its lead to seven, with a solo run in the fifth and three more in the top of the seventh, but the Govs wouldn’t go away with a fight.
In the bottom of the seventh, Austin Peay got its first three batters on, with Clark opening the inning with a double and score on a single by Harkleroad, followed by a single by Megan Hodum.
After a strikeout, for the first out of the inning, Osowski-Anderson was hit by a pitch to load the bases, followed by an RBI single by Kylie Campbell, to make it 8-3.
But that would be as close as Austin Peay State University would get as the next two Govs went down in order
Inside the Boxscore
Emily Harkleroad became the 14th player in program history to play in at least 200 games for the APSU Govs, with her start in Game 1 of the doubleheader.
Jordan Benefiel passed Angela Thompson (1994) for ninth place for most strikeouts by a pitcher in a single season, with her 172nd strikeout of the season.
Lexi Osowski-Anderson’s current eight game hit streak in the longest by a APSU Govs player this season.
Kylie Campbell tied her career single game high by recording 10 putouts in Game 2.
Macee Roberts recorded her third pinch hit of the season in Game 1.
Tickets
For information, or to buy tickets to any other home softball games this season, go online at LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets or call the Austin Peay State University Ticket Office at 931.221.PEAY (7329).
APSU Govs Online
For up-to-date news and information on Austin Peay State University softball, go to LetsGoPeay.com or follow along on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsSB), or on Facebook. Live stats will be available during all home games at PeayStats.com.
In addition, all APSU home games will be broadcast on ESPN+ this season, visit the softball schedule at LetsGoPeay.com for a complete broadcast schedule.
Next Up For APSU Softball
The Austin Peay State University softball team and North Alabama will conclude their three-game ASUN Conference series on Sunday at 1:00pm with a single game at Cathi Maynard Park-Cheryl Holt Field.
