Clarksville, Tenn. – After posting a winning record in its pre-conference schedule, Austin Peay State University's softball team opens Ohio Valley Conference play at Eastern Illinois, noon Sunday at Williams Field, looking to improve on last year's runner-up finish in conference play.

The Govs (15-13) are coming into the doubleheader after posting a 3-2 record last weekend at the Miami Invitational, including a walk-off win versus Michigan State last Sunday, while Eastern Illinois (9-19) went 5-5 at the University of South Florida Series in Clearwater, Fla., last week.

The Govs offense is led by senior Danielle Liermann, who is hitting at a .362 clip, with five doubles, 11 home runs and 23 RBIs.

Liermann is followed by a trio of teammates also hitting .300-or-better so far this season, led by junior Kelsey Gross (.346, 2 HR, 13 RBI) and seniors Carly Mattson (.326, 5 HR, 19 RBI) and Kacy Acree (.313, 5 HR, 18 RBI).

In the circle, Morgan Rackel has been the workhorse of the Govs staff posting an 11-5 overall record with a 2.45 ERA in 102.2 innings of work, while striking out an Ohio Valley Conference high 114 batters this season.

Kelly Mardones follows at 3-7, with a 4.11 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 61.1 innings pitched, while Gross rounds out the staff with a 1-1 record – with two saves -- a 2.52 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 25 innings.

The Panthers, who play a doubleheader versus Murray State on Saturday before facing the Govs, are led at the plate by Breya Cooper (.324, 4 HR, 15 RBI) and Mia Davis (.303, 4 HR, 19 RBI), while McKenna Coffman (2-6, 2.70 ERA, 22 K's) and Jade Montgomery (3-10, 5.09 ERA, 38 K's) top the EIU pitching staff.

Governors Hit and Run

• Senior third baseman Danielle Liermann enters the EIU doubleheader needing three hits to reach 200 for her career.
• The APSU-EIU series is the seventh-most played series in Govs history.
• Senior pitcher Morgan Rackel needs 10 strikeouts to move into a tie for fourth-place all-time strikeouts by an APSU pitcher in program history (328).
• Senior outfielder Natalie Schilling needs two stolen bases for 50 in her career.
• One more win will move this year's senior class alone into sixth-place all-time for wins by a senior class (81).