CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Austin Peay State University's softball team saw its seventh-inning rally come up a run short versus Southeast Missouri, 6-5, Friday afternoon, at the Southeast Softball Complex in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both teams.
Trailing by one heading into their final at bat, the Governors (5-3, 0-1 OVC) got back-to-back one-out hits from Bailey Shorter and Brooke Pfefferle, to put the tying run into scoring position.
But Lexi Osowski's line drive into right center field was caught on the run by the SEMO (3-8, 1-0 OVC) right fielder for the second out with both runners having to stay at their respective bases.
That brought up Kelsey Gross, who ripped a ball into the hole between third and short that was speared by the Redhawks shortstop to keep it to an infield single, but Shorter, who was running on the play, had her momentum carry too far past third and lost a race to the base with the shortstop and was tagged out to end the game.
The Govs had jumped out to a quick two-run first-inning lead on the Redhawks, with Gross driving in two with double over the right fielder's head.
But SEMO answered right back with two runs of its own in the bottom of the first to tie the game, then take the lead, 4-2, with two more runs in the second inning.
APSU would cut the deficit to one in the top of the third on a solo home run by Pfefferle; tie the game, 4-4, in the top of the fifth on a solo home run by Drew Dudley, then take its game's final lead in the fifth, 5-4, on Gross' second RBI double of the day.
But the lead did not hold up, as the Redhawks scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead, 6-5.
Harley Mullins (1-3) took the loss for the Govs giving up all six runs – five earned – in five innings of work She permitted five hits while striking out two and walking four.
The Govs and Redhawks conclude their three-game OVC series with a noon doubleheader, Saturday.
Inside the Boxscore
- The game was the 1,700th game in program history for the Govs.
- The loss marks the first time this season the Govs have lost a game where they score first and out hit their opponent.
- The four doubles recorded by the Govs marks the first four-double game by the Govs since collecting four doubles vs. IUPUI on 3/1/2020.
- Both home runs hit by the Govs led off innings.
- The two doubles by Kelsey Gross tied a career single-game high.
- Brooke Pfefferle's three-hit day tied a career single-game high.
- Pfefferle has now recorded a hit in all eight games played this season, while extending her games reaching base streak to 12, tying for the 16th longest streak by a Gov in the last 21 seasons..
- In throwing one inning of scoreless relief, Kelsey Gross extends her streak of scoreless innings pitched to 10 straight.
APSU coach Kassie Stanfill statements
On the fight shown by the Govs
"I was very proud of the way we came out and the energy we had. It was a great ball game that went back-and-forth for seven innings, but unfortunately in the end things didn't go our way. Now we just need to put today behind us and get ready for tomorrow."
