SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Austin Peay 4, SIUE 1
@Austin Peay 7, SIUE 1
@Southeast Missouri 3, Belmont 1
UT Martin 7, @Tennessee State 1
@Murray State 1, Morehead State 0
AUSTIN PEAY 4, SIUE 1; AUSTIN PEAY 7, SIUE 1
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University softball team swept SIUE in its final home Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader of 2022, Saturday at Cathi Maynard Park, as the Governors defeated the Cougars by 4-1 and 7-1 finals.
The Govs (29-22, 16-11 OVC) got out to a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, with Brooke Pfefferle driving in Bailey Shorter with a ground out.
It would still be 1-0 heading into the bottom of the third, when the Govs would take advantage of an SIUE (18-32, 9-18 OVC) throwing error to score two runs, while picking up a third run in the inning on a ground ball out by Kylie Campbell, making it 4-0.
That would be more than enough runs for APSU starter Harley Mullins (11-7) as she limited the Cougars to one run on five hits, while walking one and striking out one.
SIUE would score its lone run in the sixth inning on an RBI ground out by Grace Lueke.
In Game 2, the Govs came out and put up two runs on four hits, with Lexi Osowski and Campbell picking up RBIs.
SIUE would get a solo home run from Lauryn Yslava in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 2-1, but that would be as close as the Cougars would get the rest of the way.
The Govs would take advantage of three SIUE errors in the bottom of the fourth to score a run, then break the game open on the fifth, with Kendyl Weinzapfel hitting her first home run of the season – a three-run shot – to make it 6-1.
Austin Peay would take on one more run in the sixth, with Osowski picking up the RBI on a ground out.
Jordan Benefiel (13-7) picked up the win for the Govs, going the first four innings, allowing one run on five hits, while striking out two, while Samantha Miener picked up her second save of the year, throwing three shutout inning of relief, allowing two hits while striking out three.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3, BELMONT 1
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Aubrie Shore's three-run home run was the difference as Southeast Missouri (25-22, 14-10) beat Ohio Valley Conference leader Belmont (30-12, 20-6), 3-1, Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at the Southeast Softball Complex.
With two runners on after Abigail Rickermann walked and Paige Halliwill was hit by a pitch, Shore stepped in and drove her 1-1 pitch deep over the left field foul pole to give SEMO a 3-1 advantage in the bottom of the first inning. For Shore, it was her ninth home run of the season.
Shore's bomb came when SEMO was down a run and proved to be all the run support starting pitcher Rachel Rook would need.
Leadoff hitter Cheyenne Cavanaugh hit the game's third pitch for a single and scored on a two-out triple by Abi Ledbetter.
Rook kept BEL off the scoreboard for the final six innings of the contest. She got pinch-hitter Gabrielle Givers to line out ending the top of the fourth where the Bruins left runners at first and second.
In the fifth, Rook recorded back-to-back after Cavanaugh was in scoring position with a one-out double.
Rook (15-9) picked up her 15th win. She allowed just one run on four hits, walked four and struck out seven in her complete game victory. It was Rook's 10th complete game of the season, as well.
SEMO outhit BEL, 6-4, with six Redhawk starters getting a hit.
Seniors Rook, Kaylee Anderson and Chelsy Pena were honored prior to first pitch.
SEMO is now 12-0 at home as the only undefeated team in the OVC on its home diamond.
The Redhawks and Bruins wrap up their regular-season with a 12 p.m., CT doubleheader Sunday.
UT MARTIN 7, TENNESSEE STATE 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee State softball team dropped the opener of a three-game set with UT Martin on Saturday afternoon, 7-1, at Tiger Field. Sunday will now feature games 2 & 3 of the series.
TOP 4th: UT Martin scored five runs on four hits. Up 2-0, Paige Clark slammed a three-run double off the center field wall. || UTM, 5-0
BOT 4TH: Ryla Traylor hit a sac fly to center field that scored Mikayla Duke who pinch-ran for Kayli Mothershed after a single up the middle. || UTM, 5-1
TOP 7TH: Kaci Fuller singled and Shyanne Sheffield walked before Kaitlyn Kelly singled up the middle to score both. || UTM, 7-1
Jasmine Brown and Lauren Fairas each drew walks.
Raven Loveless tossed a complete game with six strikeouts.
Five different Tigers reached base with singles.
MURRAY STATE 1, MOREHEAD STATE 0
MURRAY, Ky. - The Murray State softball team shutout Morehead State, 1-0, on Senior Day Saturday at Racer Field in Murray Kentucky.
The game was a pitcher’s duel between the Racers’ Hannah James and Morehead State’s Lennon Spicer. James allowed four hits while striking out seven, while Spiced allowed just three hits, but also gave up three walks and had four strikeouts
The lone scoring of the day came in the bottom of the fourth and began when Lily Fischer drew a one-out walk. Lindsay Carrroll drove Fischer home in the very next at bat for the score and the eventual 1-0 win.
With seven Saturday, James is at 199 strikeouts and counting for the season. She needs just one more to become the first Racer in program history to reach the 200-strikeout milestone.