Lady Govs softball opens home slate against Belmont
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
W-04 CB/cb 02/28/079
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. ? Austin Peay State University's softball team opens its 26-game, 15-date home schedule with a 1
p.m., Tuesday, doubleheader against Belmont at Lady Govs field.
Austin Peay enters its home opener with a 1-8 mark after a doubleheader sweep by Evansville, Feb. 23. The Lady Govs
defense has had its troubles in the season's early part, committing 17 errors in the first nine games, recording a .937 fielding
percentage. Those defensive woes have put pressure on a young pitching staff which has allowed opponents a .307 batting
average. Third baseman Jessica Warden leads the team with a .320 batting average but middle infielder Brianna Venable leads
the team with four RBI and has the squad's only home run.
Meanwhile, the Bruins are 1-2 overall, but have not played since a Feb. 19 victory against Saint Louis. Belmont is facing
many of the same early season problems that the Lady Govs are, with the defense committing seven errors in those three
games and the pitching staff allowing a 3.85 ERA. Meagan Pipkin leads the Bruins offense with a .455 batting average and has
one of the team's four RBI.
"We are really looking forward to our first home game and it looks like it will be a battle with two very similar teams," said
Lady Govs head coach Jim Perrin. "We are starting to come around from our flu issues so we should be healthy. We are working
very hard on improving our defense which has made too many errors. Hopefully, we have plugged some of those holes. Our
pitchers have been walking too many batters, so control has been a focus this week for our pitchers."