BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Austin Peay State University's softball team split its two games, Saturday,,on Day 2 of the Blazer Invite on Mary Bowers Field, defeating North Alabama in its opener, 5-2, before falling to the tournament host UAB by a 7-3 final.
Austin Peay 5, North Alabama 2
After suffering their first shutout of the season Friday versus the Lions, the Govs offense got to work early in their rematch as they plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early lead.
Megan Hodum got things started with a one-out single, then move to second base when Lexi Osowski was hit by a pitch.
That brought up Brooke Pfefferle, who blasted a 1-1 pitch out over the right-center field fence for her season's first home run while giving the Govs a 3-0 lead.
The Lions (11-3) would score an unearned run against the Govs in the third inning, to cut the Govs lead to two runs, 3-1.
The score would remain that way until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Govs padded their lead by adding two more runs to make it 5-1.
Emily Harkleroad opened the sixth with a single and two outs later move around to third base on a single my Hodum.
Osowski walked to load the bases for Pfefferle, who ripped a pitch the first pitch she saw into center field, scoring Harkleroad and Hodum.
The Lions would score a run in the top of the seventh, but Govs starter Jordan Benefiel (5-2) closed out the game with a pop up on the infield to finish her 147-pitch complete-game victory, alloiwing two runs – only one earned – while giving up seven hits, one walk and striking out seven.
UAB 7, Austin Peay 3
The Govs fell behind early, 1-0, with the Blazers (7-8) pushing across a run in the bottom of the second inning but rallied two score twice in the top of the third to take a 2-1 lead.
Hodum got the rally started with a one-out single, followed by a Osowski single, bringing up Pfefferle, who scorched a triple into the right field corner scoring Hodum and Osowski to give the Govs a 2-1 lead.
But the lead would be short lived, as the Blazer answered with a game-tying run in the bottom of the inning, to make it 2-2.
The score would remain tied until the bottom of the fifth when the Blazers scored four times on five hits to take the lead for good, 6-2.
Austin Peay would score its final run in the sixth on an Harkleroad's RBI single that scored pinch runner Raylon Roach, but UAB answered back with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning for the 7-3 final.
Inside the boxscore
- Pfefferle's five RBI versus North Alabama is a career single-game high.
- Hodum's three hits tie a career single-game high.
- The five RBI by Pfefferle versus North Alabama is the first five RBI game by a Gov since Kelsey Gross drove in five versus Jacksonville State, April 4, 2021.
- The North Alabama win was the 80th career win for head coach Kassie Stanfill.
- Osowski's single in the third inning versus UAB was the 150th hit of her career, making her the 15th player in program history to reach 150 career hits.
- Osowski and Bailey Shorter both have 150-or-more career hits, marking it only the fourth time in program history (1990, 1995, 2019, 2022) where two active players on the same roster have at least 150 career hits at the same time.
- Pfefferle and Kendyl Weinzapfel both had triples for the Govs versus UAB, making it the first time since May 5, 2019 versus SIUE where the Govs recorded two triples in the same game.
Up Next
Austin Peay will conclude play at the Blazer Invite on Sunday, as they have a 12:30 p.m., rematch with Alabama Birmingham. For news and updates on everything Governors softball, follow along on Twitter (@GovsSB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
