Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team will travel to Florida for the second time this spring as they face Jacksonville, this weekend for a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series at the Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex, looking to continue building on last week’s series-closing win.
The Governors (17-18, 3-6 ASUN) and Dolphins (15-17; 5-4 ASUN) will open the series with a Saturday 1:00pm doubleheader followed by a Sunday single game at 11:00am to end the series.
Austin Peay State University is led offensively by junior first baseman Kylie Campbell, who enters the weekend batting .411, with five doubles, four triples and a home run, while scoring a team best 23 runs and driving in 20.
Campbell is followed by freshman centerfielder Brie Howard, who is batting at a .358 clip, with three doubles, a triple and a team-high six home runs. She also leads the team with 27 RBIs and has scored 19 runs.
Graduate left fielder Kendyl Weinzapfel rounds out the APSU Govs .300 hitters, coming in batting .307, with three doubles, three triple and two home runs, while driving in 17 and scoring 11 runs.
In the circle, Jordan Benefiel (9-8, 2.31 ERA, 102 K’s) leads the APSU Govs pitching staff, while Samantha Miener (5-8, 3.56 ERA, 31 K’s), Ashley Martin (2-1, 2.59 ERA, 46 K’s) and Payton Harris (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 K) have also picked up wins this season for Austin Peay.
Jacksonville is led at the plate by the Bratek sisters, with Madison Bratek batting .309, with five doubles and a home run, along with 13 RBIs and 23 runs scored, while Allison Bratek is batting .291, with seven doubles and three home runs, with 11 RBIs and 26 runs scored.
Former APSU pitcher Shelby Harpe and Skylar Waggoner led the Jacksonville pitching staff, with Harpe having a 4-6 record, including a 1.58 ERA and 30 strikeouts, while Waggoner is 4-7, with a 2.91 ERA and 44 strikeouts.
Between the Lines
Austin Peay State University is 1-4 all-time versus Jacksonville, and this weekend will mark the first meeting between the two as conference opponents.
Jordan Benefiel needs one win to become the third APSU pitcher to reach 50 career wins, eight strikeouts to move into third place all-time in career strikeouts (499), and nine K’s from becoming the third pitcher to reach 500 career strikeouts.
Brie Howard has reached base in 20 consecutive games, the fifth longest such streak by an APSU softball player since 2000.
Kylie Campbell is three hits away from becoming the 17th overall player in program history to reach 150 career hits and also becoming the fifth player to have three seasons of 50-or-more hits.
Kendyl Weinzapfel is six hits away from reaching 150 career hits.
APSU Govs Online
For up-to-date news and information on Austin Peay State University softball, go to LetsGoPeay.com or follow along on X (formally 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.
