Lake Charles, La. – In what was arguably the greatest pitching performance in Austin Peay State University softball history, Morgan Rackel pitched a 2-1, 16-inning, complete-game victory versus McNeese State, Saturday, at Joe Miller Field, with the Govs taking the second game, 4-3, to sweep the three-game series.
Austin Peay 2, McNeese 1 (16 innings)
Rackel (5-3) needed 217 pitches (154 strikes) in the Game 1 Austin Peay (8-5) victory, giving up a second-inning run to McNeese (6-9) before throwing 14 consecutive shutout innings -- finishing the game with a career-high 16 strikeouts, while walking three and scattering 13 hits.
Austin Peay tied the game in the top of the sixth inning with Brooke Pfefferle's first home run this season to lead off the inning.
The score remained 1-1 until the top of the 16th inning, with the Govs Natalie Schilling drawing a one-out walk, stealing second and then scoring from second base on an RBI up-the-middle single by Kacy Acree.
Acree led the Govs in Game 1 with four hits, while Danielle Liermann added three.
Austin Peay 4, McNeese 3
Game 2 saw the Govs get out to a quick 2-0 first-inning lead on a Carly Mattson two-run homer to straight away center field, her second home run of the series.
McNeese chipped away at the Govs lead with a run in the fourth inning before taking its only lead of the day with two more runs in the fifth to go up 3-2.
But Austin Peay would take advantage of a McNeese throwing error – coming on a sacrifice bunt by Drew Dudley -- in the top of the sixth to allow both Acree and Dudley to score and retake the lead, 4-3.
That was all Govs relief pitcher Kelsey Gross needed, as she came in to throw 1.2 innings of shutout relief of APSU starter Kelly Mardones (2-1) to pick up her season's second save.
Inside the Boxscore
- The 16-inning game versus McNeese was the longest game played in program history, breaking the old record of 12 innings – done three times – with the last coming versus on April 4, 1993 versus Morehead State.
- Morgan Rackel's 16-inning complete game broke the school record for longest complete-game pitched, set by Angela Thompson versus Morehead State on April 4, 1993.
- Morgan Rackel's 16 strikeouts ties Natasha Anderson (Morehead State March 24, 2017) for most single-game strikeouts by an APSU pitcher.
- Kelsey Gross' save tied Natasha Anderson (2004-07) for most APSU career saves (seven).
- Morgan Rackel tied former Gov Lauren de Castro (2011-14) for eighth all-time in career victories (27).
- The 3-hour, 56-minute game time was the longest game by time in program history.
- Carly Mattson's Game 1 16 putouts were the most by an APSU player since Vinchenzo DiBenedetto recorded 15 versus Morehead State, March 25, 2016.
- Nine different Govs have hit home runs in APSU's first 13 games.
Stanfill Statements
On team's overall play
"It was exciting to see our girls come out and truly fight and show some guts every inning and with every out today. They do a great job of holding each other accountable and reminding each other every time 'we have it, we got this, we want it more' and that's what they did. They kept the fight and it came out on our side."
On Rackel's record-setting performance
"Morgan is a true fighter. She is the one that wants the ball and when she has it, she wants to finish it. So, her going the full 16 innings – which was a huge moment for herself as well as the team – was fun to watch."
