CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's softball team will make the trek down Interstate 40 to Cookeville and Tennessee Tech this weekend to play a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series, in a battle of teams separated by just a half a game in the league standings.
The two teams will open play, 2 p.m., Friday at the Tech Softball Field with doubleheader and conclude the series on Saturday with a 1 p.m. single game.
The Governors (13-8, 8-6 OVC) come into the matchup with some momentum, having swept a three-game conference series versus Belmont last weekend, while Tennessee Tech (13-14, 7-6 OVC) lost a mid-week OVC doubleheader at Jacksonville State on Wednesday.
Austin Peay is led offensively by junior third baseman Lexi Osowski (.456, 2 HR, 14 RBI), who took over the lead in the OVC standings in batting average after going 11-of-15 at the plate in five games last week.
Senior shortstop Brooke Pfefferle is also hitting above .400, coming in at .429 this season, including two doubles, a triple, and a home run to go with nine runs scored and six RBIs.
Three other Govs are hitting over .300 after 21 games this season, starting with senior outfielder Bailey Shorter (.349, 2 HR, 12 RBI), senior second baseman Drew Dudley (340, 2 HR, 7 RBI and senior pitcher/first baseman Kelsey Gross (.306, 1 HR, 20 RBI).
The Golden Eagles enter the weekend with three players hitting above .300 so far this season led by Sydney Love-Baker (.333, 1 HR, 12 RBI), followed by Beth McCulley (.333, 0 HR, 9 RBI) and Nicolle Nysted (.319, 6 HR, 15 RBI).
In the circle, the Govs pitching staff was led by freshman Jordan Benefiel (5-2, 1.18 ERA, 41 K's), who leads the conference in ERA and opponents' batting average against (.172) coming into the weekend.
She is followed by Gross, who is 4-1 this season, including a shutout, a save, a 2.94 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 35.2 innings of work, while junior Harley Mullins is 4-5, including a shutout and two saves.
Tennessee Tech's pitching staff is led by Alyssa Arden (7-7, 2.98 ERA, 61 K's) and Haeli Bryson (5-3, 2.61 ERA, 34 K's).
Govs Hit and Run
- The opening game of the weekend series between Austin Peay and Tennessee Tech will be the 99th all-time between the two schools.
- Drew Dudley enters the weekend with a nine-game hitting streak.
- Jordan Benefiel comes into the series having thrown back-to-back three-hit shutouts, while not allowing a run overall in her last 15 innings pitched.
- Bailey Shorter's three triples tie for the most by an individual player in the OVC this season.
- Senior catcher Brett Jackson is batting .385 over her last nine games.
- The opening game of the weekend series will be Kassie Stanfill's 100th as head coach at Austin Peay.
