MURRAY, Ky. - Two three-run home runs in the nightcap lifted the Austin Peay softball team to a split of its Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader, Saturday, against Murray State, as the Lady Govs won 9-3 after dropping the opener in eight innings, 3-2.

The first three-run shot came in the first inning of the second game off the bat of freshman Shine Huwe to straight away centerfield.

The home run was Huwe's fifth this season and scored Brittany Williams and Jessica Chernak. It came after Williams' RBI single, scoring Tiffany Smith to give Austin Peay (12-25, 4-8 OVC) a quick 4-0 lead.

Murray State (13-20, 5-6 OVC) answered right back with a three-run home run of its own by Jenna Bradley in the bottom of the first to cut the Lady Govs' lead to one, 4-3. But that would be as close as the Racers would get the rest of the way.

Austin Peay added single runs in the second, on an infield groundout by Huwe to score Randal Davenport, and in the third on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Cole to score Shelby Norton, giving Austin Peay a 6-3 lead.

The Lady Govs would put the game away in the seventh with their second three-run homer of the game, this one by Norton.

Morgan Brewer (8-7) got the win in relief while striking out seven batters, a season high for the freshman.

Huwe, Norton and Smith would all finish the second game with two hits each to lead the Lady Govs

Defense let down the Lady Govs in the opener as Austin Peay committed seven errors, which led to all three Murray State runs, including what turned out to the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Austin Peay opened the eighth by getting the first Racer hitter out, but made back-to-back infield errors before Ellyn Troup's base hit gave Murray State the victory.

Austin Peay had broken out on top, 1-0, in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Amy Millis, scoring Williams, but the Racers took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning scoring twice - aided by a two-out Austin Peay error.

The Lady Govs forced extra inning by tying the game 2-2 in the top of the seventh on an infield hit by Smith, scoring pinch runner Detra Farley from second base.

Smith would be the only Lady Gov to record more than one hit in the first game, finishing with a 3-for-3 effort, while Brewer took the loss in relief of APSU starter Abby Mabry.

The two teams will conclude their OVC series 1 p.m., Sunday, with a single game at Racer Field.

--AP--