CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's softball team will take its final regular-season road trip of the year to UT Martin, this weekend, in what is a crucial three-game Ohio Valley Conference series between two teams looking to make the conference's postseason tournament.
The series will begin with a single game, 4 p.m., Friday at Bettye Giles Field and conclude with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
The Governors (23-13, 18-10 OVC) currently sit in third place in the league's standings, while the Skyhawks (24-14, 13-10 OVC) are in sixth place, 2.5 games back of Austin Peay and 1.5 games out of fourth place, which earns a spot in the OVC Tournament.
This is also the most-played series in APSU history, with the first game being the 115th overall meeting between the two programs, with the Govs trailing in the series 38-76, including a 16-46 mark in games played in Martin.
The Govs also enter the series with the Skyhawks having won the last five overall meetings between the two programs.
Austin Peay is led offensively by junior third baseman Lexi Osowski (.423, 5 HR, 23 RBI), followed by senior shortstop Brooke Pfefferle (.378, 2 HR, 17 RBI).
Two other Govs are hitting over .300 this season after 36 games, starting with senior outfielder Bailey Shorter (.327, 4 HR, 19 RBI) and senior pitcher/first baseman Kelsey Gross (.308, 4 HR, 38 RBI).
UT Martin enters the weekend with seven players hitting over .300, led by Kaci Fuller (.388, 4 HR, 24 RBI), while Kaitlyn Kelley (.363, 15 HR, 45 RBI) leads the OVC in home runs and RBIs.
In the circle, the Govs pitching staff is led by Gross, who is 8-2 this season, with two shutouts, three saves, a 2.25 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 68.1 innings of work.
She is followed by junior Harley Mullins (7-5, 5.47 ERA, 44 K's), freshman Jordan Benefiel (7-5, 1.83 ERA, 69 K's) and Shelby Harpe (1-0, 3.50 ERA, 4 K's).
Alexis Groet leads the Skyhawks pitching staff with a 11-3 record, including a 1.37 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 97 innings pitched.
Govs Hit and Run
- Shelby Harpe has thrown 11 straight scoreless innings.
- Brett Jackson has thrown out a OVC co-leading 10 base stealers this season.
- Kelsey Gross needs one more victory to become the seventh pitcher in program history to reach 30 career wins.
- For the first time in the program's 36-year history, the Govs have three pitchers on the roster who have all won at least seven games in the same season.
- Lexi Osowski is one double short of breaking into the program's all-time Top 10 for career doubles (30).
- Kelsey Gross is two RBI's away from becoming just the third player to drive in at least 40 RBIs in a single season for the Govs.
