Conway, AR – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team totaled nine runs across the fourth and fifth inning to earn an 11-3 Atlantic Sun Conference victory against Central Arkansas in the series finale, Sunday, at Shock Stadium.
Katie Raper recorded the first hit of the day for either side in the top the second with a double down the left field line but was left stranded on the basepath. Central Arkansas recorded the game’s first run in the bottom of the second with a solo home run and held the advantage until the fourth.
Austin Peay State University tallied three-straight hits in the fourth inning, with a Kiley Hinton RBI double scoring pinch runner Kam Moore from second. A Natalie Burns single to left field and Makayla Navarro sacrifice fly added two more runs for the APSU Govs, who led. 3-1 through the frame.
After retiring UCA in order in the bottom of the fourth, APSU batted around the order in a fifth inning in which it tallied six runs off five hits.
Following a one-out Brie Howard single, Sammie Shelander tallied her eighth home run of the season to extend the APSU advantage to four. The APSU Govs then loaded the bases following singles by Ashlyn Dulaney and Raper, and Hinton being hit by pitch. Burns then drove in a run after being hit by a pitch before Shelby Allen cleared the bases with a 3-RBI double – her first extra-base hit as a Governor.
Leading 9-1, Central Arkansas tallied one run in both the bottom of the fifth and the sixth to avoid a run-rule decision. In the top of the final frame, Makayla Navarro tallied her second home run of the season for the final scoring by either side.
Austin Peay State University doubled the Bears in hits, 12-6, with Raper leading the Govs with three and both Shelander and Dulaney recording two. Allen and Navarro led the APSU Govs with three RBI, a season-high for both.
Alanah Jones pitched a complete game in the circle for Austin Peay State University, where she tossed 92 pitches and struck out two Bears.
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Next Up For APSU Softball
The Austin Peay State University softball team returns to action next weekend when it hosts Bellarmine, Friday-Saturday, at Cathi Maynard Park in Clarksville.
