STATESBORO, Ga. – Austin Peay State University's softball team battled to the end in both of its games to opening the 2018 season, Saturday, at the Eagle Round Robin Tournament, but came up a little short in both contests in dropping a 3-2 decision to tournament host Georgia Southern followed by a 7-4 loss to Radford.
In the opener, the Governors (0-2) fell behind 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning to the Eagles (1-0), but that would be all runs that Govs starter Morgan Rackel would permit in the contest, with the junior left-hander only allowing one hit after the second inning to give her teammates a chance to make a comeback. Overall, Rackel scattered six hits while walking one and striking out eight in the complete-game effort.
Austin Peay would cut into the deficit with a run of its own in the top of the third inning, on an RBI double to center by Kacy Acree, scoring Natalie Schilling, then carved the margin to a single run on a home run to right field by Rackel in the fourth.
But that would be as close as the Govs would get, with Austin Peay seeing its final two at bats end with runners on base and bullet line drives being snagged, respectively, by the Georgia Southern center fielder in the sixth and the Eagles shortstop in the seventh.
Game 2 would see the Govs jump out to a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on back-to-back doubles by Acree and Brooke Pfefferle. But the long ball would impede the Govs versus the Highlanders, with Radford hitting four home runs between the second and fourth innings to go up 5-1.
But the Govs didn't go down without a fight, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, starting with a home run by Danielle Liermann down just inside the left-field foul pole, a single by Emily Harkleroad and a bases-loaded hit by pitch to Acree to made it a one-run game, 5-4.
But Radford would hit one final home run in the top of the seventh inning, a two-run shot, for the final 7-4 margin.
The Govs will conclude play in the season-opening Eagle Round Robin on Sunday, 10:30 a.m. (CT), versus Georgia Southern.
Follow the Govs softball team on Austin Peay's official athletics website Let'sGoPeay.com or on Twitter @AustinPeaySB.
Inside the boxscore
- The home run by Danielle Liermann versus Radford was the 17th of her career, moving her into seventh place alone all-time in APSU history.
- The eight strikeouts recorded in Game 1 by Morgan Rackel was the most by an APSU pitcher in a season opener since 2007.
- Kacy Acree and Danielle Liermann led the Govs with three hits each on opening day, while Natalie Schilling, Emily Harkleroad and Carly Mattson had two hits each.
- Junior Kendall Vedder had her string of 95 consecutive starts at shortstop come to an end with junior Erica Inagaki getting the start versus Georgia Southern.
- The 3-2 loss by APSU in Game 1 was the Govs first season-opening loss in seven years, with the Govs dropping to 16-17 all-time in season openers.
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Coaching Quotables with Head Coach Rodney DeLong
On team battling until the final out
"We're definitely a team that's going to win, we just have to learn how to win and be more consistent. But I'm very proud of how we competed today."
On Morgan Rackel's performance
"One pitch beat her in that game, but Morgan threw well enough to win. It's early, but when we start to hit some of that stuff is going to balance out."
Finally playing another opponent after not getting to play any games in the fall
"It's good to find the pulse of your team and know what you have to improve on, but we're looking forward to the challenge. We're close; we're going to get there."
--AP--
