CHARLESTON, Ill. ? The finale of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference softball series between Austin Peay and Eastern Illinois was cancelled Saturday because of conference rules about playing in cold weather.

In a mandate that was asked for by OVC softball coaches two years ago and approved by the conference, no OVC games can be started if the temperature -- or wind chill -- is below 35 degrees.

“Both myself and (EIU head coach) Kim Schuette thought it was just a temperature below 35 degrees that would cancel a game,” Austin Peay head coach Jim Perrin said. “But once we got the conference rules out to check it said temperature or wind chill. The local weather had it wouldn't get above 28 or 29 degrees for wind chill all day, so that pretty much settled that and the game was cancelled.”

With Saturday's cancellation, it marked the ninth game of the season the Lady Govs (4-14, 1-4 OVC) have lost or had postponed to weather, but the first because due of low temperatures.

The game will not be made up, also by conference rules.

The Lady Govs will return to action 2 p.m. Tuesday at Lady Govs Field, as they play host to Tennessee-Martin in an OVC doubleheader.

- AP -