CLARKSVLLE, Tenn. – Morgan Hoeg and Chandler Groves each hit grand slam home runs, Wednesday, to power Austin Peay State University's softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Samford University by 8-6 and 8-7 finals at Cheryl Holt Field.
The doubleheader sweep was the first for the Lady Govs versus Samford since March 15, 1989, when they won back-to-back 7-0 finals.
Hoeg's slam came in walk-off fashion in Game 1, with the Lady Govs (5-17) entering their final at-bat down 6-4. Laurel Burroughs opened the inning by being pitch by a pitch, and an out later, saw Niya Sparks and Sidney Hooper load the bases with back-to-back walks.
That brought up Hoeg, who blasted a 2-1 pitch well over the center field fence to seal away the com-from-behind victory for Austin Peay.
Samford (20-13) took an early lead with two unearned runs in the top of the first inning, with the Lady Govs answering back in the bottom of the inning with a run of its own – when Burroughs scored on a wild pitch.
The Bulldogs would add two more runs in the top of the second to go up 4-1, but Austin Peay answered right back in the bottom of the inning to tie the game 5-5. Mel Pavel and Rikki Arkansas opened the inning with back-to-back hits. An out later Groves ripped a 1-0 pitch over the center field fence for a game-tying three-run homer. Arkansas led Austin Peay with two hits.
Samford regained the lead in the top of the fourth inning, scoring twice to go up 6-4, a lead they would hold until Hoeg's walk-off heroics in the bottom of the seventh.
Hooper (1-4) got the complete-game win, holding the Bulldogs to just two hits over the final three innings after Samford had taken the lead.
Game 2 started with Samford taking a 5-0 lead after its first two at-bats, but Austin Peay roared back with five runs in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game.
Sparks began the inning with a double down the left-field line, followed by back-to-back walks to load the bases with no outs. Pavel then drove in Sparks with the first run of the inning. Two outs later Groves crushed a 1-2 pitch out over the left field fence to tie the game 5-5.
Austin Peay took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning, scoring three times, all after two outs. Hoeg and Pavel started the inning with back-to-back singles before Arkansas walked to load the bases A Samford error allowed the inning's first run before Groves driving in the other two with a single.
Groves and Pavel had two hits each for Austin Peay, with Groves collecting six RBI--giving her nine for the day.
Heather Norris (1-4), who pitched the final six innings in relief, got the win, limiting the Bulldogs to just two runs while striking out three and walking one.
--AP--
