MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Austin Peay State University's softball team won both of its season-opening games via a shutout, Friday, at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex, in the opening day of the Stinger Classic, defeating Purdue Fort Wayne in the opener, 14-0, and tournament host Alabama State, 6-0, in the nightcap.
Austin Peay 14, Purdue Fort Wayne 0 (5 inns.)
Jordan Benefiel picked up her fourth career shutout, backed by a Governors offense that pounded out 12 hits and scoring every inning in a 14-0, five-inning victory against Purdue Fort Wayne.
The Govs got on the board four batters into the game, with Emily Harkleroad driving in Brooke Pfefferle, who had reached via a walk, with a fielder's choice for a 1-0 lead.
Harkleroad would finish the game with four RBIs.
That would be all the runs that Benefiel would need as she held the Mastodons to just four hits and a walk in her five innings of work, while striking out nine.
Austin Peay would make it 2-0 in the second with Kylie Campbell, in her first career at bat, scoring Megan Hodum from third base on a sacrifice fly.
The Govs would go deep for its next two runs, with Mea Clark blasting her first career home run over the center field fence in the third inning, also driving in Harkleroad to make it 4-0.
Austin Peay would break the game open in the fourth, scoring four times, with Lexi Osowski and Harkleroad recording two-run singles each to extend the Govs lead to 8-0.
Osowski would finish the game 3-for-3 at the plate, plus a walk, and four RBIs.
The Govs offense would cap off the game with a six-run fifth inning for the 14-0 final, with five different Govs picking up RBI in the frame.
Austin Peay 6, Alabama State 0
The Govs and Hornets traded zeros for the first two innings, but the third inning saw the Govs collect three doubles in the frame from Morgan Zuege, Pfefferle and Osowski, with Pfefferle's and Osowski's driving in runs for a 2-0 lead.
Austin Peay starter, Samantha Miener took it from there as the freshman--in her first career start--held Alabama State to a pair of singles while walking two and striking out three.
The Govs would add to their lead in the third, with Campbell hitting her season's first home run then score three times in the fourth, including an RBI double by Clark for the 6-0 final.
Inside the boxscore
- Govs are now 19-18 all-time in season opening games.
- It is the first time in program history the Govs have opened a season with back-to-back shutouts.
- Austin Peay is 3-1 in season-opening games under coach Kassie Stanfill.
- The 14-0 final was the largest season-opening win for Austin Peay since 1994 when the Govs defeated Tennessee State 23-1.
- The shutout was the sixth by the Govs to open a season (1992, 1995, 2006, 2013, 2019).
- The four-RBI effort versus Purdue Fort Wayne by Lexi Osowski was the 20th multi-RBI game of her career and tied her career high.
- Mea Clark picked up the first multi-hit game of her career with two hits versus Purdue Fort Wayne.
- Jordan Benefiel tied her career single-game high with nine strikeouts versus Purdue Fort Wayne.
- The four RBIs by Emily Harkleroad versus Purdue Fort Wayne was a career high.
- Samantha Miener's two-hitter with the first by a Govs pitcher since the 2020 season.
- The back-to-back shutouts was the first since the Govs shutout Tennessee State in back-to-back games on April 17-18 2021.
Stanfill statements
On the team's Day 1 play
"We were very excited with the way Team 37 came out and played today. They have worked very hard for this moment of opening day of the season, and I think they can see that their hard work had definitely paid off. It was a good start."
On the whole team approach
"We are an offensive-minded team, but today you can also see our pitching staff can command the zone and trust our defense to make the plays behind us and that's exactly with they did and that's how we got our two goose eggs on the scoreboard."
On getting ready for Day 2
"Refocusing is the key for our Saturday games. Coming out we are going to face a College of Charleston team that had a solid day of softball today. So we'll be excited to see how we do on Day 2 and bounce back and just keep working to get better each and every day."
Up Next
Austin Peay continues play at the Stinger Classic on Saturday, with a 10:30 a.m. contest versus the College of Charleston, followed by a rematch with Alabama State at 1:30 p.m. For news and updates on everything Governors softball, follow along on Twitter (@GovsSB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
