MURRAY, Ky. – Austin Peay State University's softball team had its chances, Saturday afternoon at Racer Field in its Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader versus Murray State, but left 14 runners on base in coming up short in 3-1 and 5-3 (eight innings) losses.

With the losses, Austin Peay (9-33, 5-17 OVC) was eliminated from post-season consideration, a streak that has now reached eight seasons without a trip to the OVC tournament.

The problem of leaving runners on base started early in Game 1 for the Lady Govs. They left runners at first and third in the first inning while stranding Mel Pavel at second base in the top of the second after she had led off the inning with a double.

Murray State (31-16, 16-7 OVC) did all of its damage in the bottom of the second inning, scoring three times on four hits.

Austin Peay scored its lone run in the top of the third inning, with Vinchenza DiBenedetto driving in Chandler Groves with a double. But the Lady Govs missed adding more runs by leaving runners at second and third.

The Lady Govs left two more runners stranded in the fourth and one more in the fifth to bring their total to eight runners left on base, including five in scoring position.

Natalie Ayala (5-14) took the loss, despite allowing only two hits over her final four innings.

In Game 2, Murray State took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off APSU starter Allie Blackwood, but that would be the only run Blackwood would permit to the Racers in the first five innings.

Again, Austin Peay would have its chances to tie, or take the lead, in the third and fourth innings, but failed to score. In the third, the Lady Govs got Erica Inagaki to third base with two outs, but left her stranded, while in the fourth they got back-to-back two-out singles from DiBenedetto and Morgan Hoeg to threaten once again. Again they were unable to produce that elusive run-scoring hit.

DiBenedetto led the Lady Govs with three hits.

But Austin Peay finally broke through in the top of the sixth inning, scoring twice, to take its first lead of the day, 2-1. Groves opened the inning with a single and moved to second base on an infield out. Pinch-hitter Ashley Eisenbraun reached on a Murray State error, with Groves moving around to third base. That is when the Lady Govs caught one of the few breaks it would receive all day, DiBenedetto missed making contact on a suicide squeeze bunt, but in the ensuing rundown Groves scored the tying run on what turned out to the scored as a steal of home. Eisenbraun also advanced to second on the play, also being credited with a stolen base. DiBenedetto then singled to move Eisenbraun to third, where one out later, scored on a Pavel single.

Murray State tied the game, 2-2, with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning – on a double and a single – to end a run of eight consecutive batters sat down by Blackwood.

Austin Peay answered back with a run in the top of the seventh inning, with Rikki Arkansas opening the inning with a double, stealing third and then scoring on an infield out by Courtney Browner. Arkansas had two hits in Game 2 and three on the day.

But the Racers got a home run from Alexa Becker to open the bottom of the seventh, tying the game 3-3 and forcing extra innings.

After failing to score in their half of the eighth inning, the Lady Govs would see the Racers win in walk-off fashion. The Racers' Maggie Glass opening the inning with a double and two outs later scored ahead of Mallory Richardson's first home run of the season for the 5-3 final.

The two teams will conclude their three-game OVC series, 1 p.m., Sunday, at Racer Field in the Lady Govs last road contest of 2015.

--AP--