Jacksonville, Ala. – Austin Peay State University's softball team didn't have many answers in slowing down the Jacksonville State offense, Sunday, as the Lady Govs were swept in an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader by the Gamecocks, 9-5 and 18-4.

It looked early-on Austin Peay (8-30, 4-15 OVC) and Jacksonville State would be locked up in a pitcher's duel in Game 1, with JSU scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning and the Lady Govs matching that score with an RBI single by Niya Sparks in the top of the third. Sparks would finish with two hits before leaving the game in the top of the seventh inning due to an injury.

Austin Peay took its only lead of the day in the top of the fourt, with Morgan Hoeg opening the frame with a single and moved to second an out later on a single by Rikki Arkansas. Arkansas collected two hits in Game 1.

An out later, Chandler Groves loaded the bases by being hit by a pitch, followed by Laurel Burroughs ripping a 0-1 pitch over the right field fence for a grand slam homer and a 5-1 lead. Burroughs led the Lady Govs with three hits in the opener.

But Jacksonville State (30-14, 13-5 OVC) answered back with three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning, cutting the APSU lead to one, then followed that with a five-run fifth inning to give them what would be the 9-5 final margin.

Game 2 would be all Gamecocks, with JSU scoring at least three runs in every inning and finishing with 18 total runs on 17 hits.

The 18 runs tied for the second most single-game runs permitted by the Lady Govs in school history, tying the total given up to Chattanooga in 2001.

Austin Peay scored a solo run in the top of the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Groves, while adding three more in the top of the fifth inning – aided by a wild pitch and an error by JSU – with Burroughs also picking up an RBI in the inning.

--AP--