Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team remained perfect at the Governors Classic following a five-inning, 9-1 victory against Central Michigan before then walking off Ohio in an 8-7 victory, Saturday, at Cathi Maynard Park.
Game One – APSU 9, CMU 1 (5 Innings)
Top 2nd | Following a scoreless inning and a half of play, Katie Raper began the bottom of the second with a leadoff home run over the center field wall. Despite Austin Peay later loading the bases following a trio of walks, a trio of Governors were stranded on the base paths, to maintain the 1-0 lead.
Top 3rd | Central Michigan hit a one-double down the left field line, with the runner reaching just one batter later on a single down to right field.
Bottom 3rd | Brie Howard opened the bottom of the third with a walk, while Sammie Shelander was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Raper then drove in Howard on an RBI base knock, while Shelander later scored following a Chippewas’ wild pitch which advanced Jada Sovey – pinch running for Raper – to third. Two batters later, a Mimi Blackledge double scored Sovey and extended the APSU lead to 4-1.
Bottom 4th | Howard reached on a two-out error by CMU’s shortstop, and was later brought across the plate on a Shelander home run.
Bottom 5th | The Governors began the fifth with singles by Blackledge and Jade Castillo, before an Ashlyn Graklanoff sacrifice fly scored Blackledge. Howard then brought in Castillo on an RBI single, while a Shelander RBI base knock brought in Howard to bring up the run-rule decision.
Gov of Decision: Alanah Jones (W, 6-3), 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Game Two – APSU 8, OU 7
Top 3rd | Ohio had a pair of runners in scoring position following a single, walk, and ground out. A one-out sacrifice fly scored the day’s first run, and maintained runners of second and third, but the two Bobcats were stranded following a ground out.
Bottom 3rd | Emilee Baker led off the bottom of the third with a single up the middle of the field and later was brought across the plate following a bases-loaded infield fly to Ohio’s third baseman.
Top 4th | Ohio retook the lead with a two-run top of the fourth, the first coming on a wild pitch and the second, just one batter later, on a sacrifice fly.
Bottom 4th | Blackledge led off the fourth with a double, while a Castillo double put a pair of Govs in scoring position with no outs. Graklanoff then scored Blackledge from third, and a Baker single scored Castillo; however, Graklanoff was called out at the plate on a pass from OU’s right fielder to home plate. The Govs’ final runs of the inning came on a two-run home run by Shelander.
Top 7th | After a scoreless fifth and sixth from both sides, Ohio went up 6-5 on a three-run homer to center field, and extended its lead just one batter later on a solo home run.
Bottom 7th | Facing a 7-5 deficit following a four-run top of the frame by the Bobcats, Kiley Hinton singled to right field to put a pair of Govs on base. An error by the Bobcats’ third baseman then loaded the bases with one out. Catillo – who redshirted last season and picked up her first hit as a Gov just a day prior – then doubled down the right field line, which cleared the bases following a throwing error by Ohio’s second baseman.
Next Up For APSU Softball
The Austin Peay State University softball team closes the Governors Classic with a Sunday 12:30pm meeting against Stonehill. The Governors earned an 11-0, five-inning victory in their first game of the Governors Classic, Friday.
