BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ? Austin Peay's softball team couldn't put enough of the right pieces together Saturday afternoon, as it lost its opening two games of the 2009 regular season at the Samford University Bulldog Bash, first 2-0 to Gardner-Webb and 8-0 to No. 24-ranked Southern Illinois-Carbondale.

First-game jitters hampered Austin Peay right off the bat versus Gardner-Webb, with the Lady Govs committing two first-inning errors -- and a passed ball -- to give the Runnin' Bulldogs an early unearned run.

Gardner-Webb (1-0) would score it other run in the bottom of the fourth inning, also unearned, aided by two APSU errors.

Despite not getting a hit until the fourth inning, Austin Peay did have chances to cut into the Gardner-Webb lead.

In the fifth inning, the Lady Govs got hits from Krista Henke, Samantha Butts and Brittany Williams, but pinch runner Detra Farley was thrown out at the plate to end the inning on Williams' hit.

In the sixth, they got back-to-back one-out hits from Catie Cozart and Daniella Hooper, but couldn't push anything across.

Hooper would finish with two singles, while Williams reached base three times, on a single and two walks.

Freshman pitcher Ashley Bolda took the loss, giving up five hits ? all singles ? and two unearned runs. She struck out one and didn't walk a batter.

In Game 2, the Lady Govs held the No. 24-ranked Salukis to one run in the first two innings, but walks did in Austin Peay in the third, as Southern Illinois scored six times in the inning ? four getting on base by walking.

Southern Illinois pitcher Katie McNamara held the Lady Govs hitless, with Williams being the only base runner to reach for Austin Peay leading off the fourth inning by reaching on a throwing error by SIU-C shortstop Haley Gorman.

The Lady Govs will face the same to teams Sunday, starting with a 12:15 p.m., rematch against Southern Illinois followed by a 2:30 p.m., game versus Gardner-Webb.