CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's softball team will make its third trip of the season to the State of Alabama, this Thursday and Friday, as they play in its final in-season tournament of the year, the Jacksonville State Invite.
Joining the Governors in the tournament will be Samford and host school Jacksonville State.
The Governors (12-7) comes into the two-day event having dropped their last two contests, including a Tuesday afternoon tilt versus #18 ranked Tennessee, while Samford in 10-9 and Jacksonville State is 10-8.
After 19 games, the Govs are led at the plate by Lexi Osowski, who enters the invite with a .474 batting average, including six doubles, two triples and three home runs to go with 16 runs scored and 16 RBI, while freshman Kylie Campbell is also batting over .400 coming into the contest, batting .417, with two doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI.
Three other Governors are batting over .300 this season, with Brooke Pfefferle (.339, 1 HR, 16 RBI) leading that trio, followed by Megan Hodum batting .328, with a team-leading 20 runs scored, and Morgan Zuege (.308, six runs, three RBI).
In the circle, Jordan Benefiel heads the Govs pitching corps with a 6-3 record, including a 2.23 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 66 innings of work, while Samantha Miener is 4-4, with a 3.53 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 35.2 innings and Harley Mullins is 2-0, with a 4.82 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched.
Scouting the opponents
Samford: The Bulldogs have lost three of their last four games at the Ole Miss Invitational last weekend.
Offensively, Samford is led by a pair of players batting .373 this season in Sarah Squillace (3 doubles, 13 runs) and Kolby Holcombe (four doubles one home run), while Mary Katherine Tedder (seven doubles, one triple, four home runs) is hitting at a .357 clip.
In the circle, McKenzie Newcomb leads the Samford pitching corps with a 6-5 record, including a 2.01 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched.
Jacksonville State: The Gamecocks coming into their home invite having won three of its last four games, with the lone loss being an 3-2 final to Mississippi State last weekend at the MSU Bulldog Invitational.
Jacksonville State has four players this season hitting over .300, led by Camryn McLemore (.438, three doubles, three home runs), followed by Lindsey Richardson (.372, three doubles, three home runs).
In the circle, Kat Carter has been the workhorse of the staff, posting a 6-5 record so far this season, including a 2.81 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched.
Inside the lines
- All three teams in this weekend event were members of the Ohio Valley Conference at the same time from 2003 to 2008, when Samford left the conference.
- The Govs have played Jacksonville State and Samford 49 times each prior to this weekend.
- Austin Peay is 2-0 all-time versus Samford in games played at a neutral site.
- The Govs Kendyl Weinzapfel enters the two-day event carrying a six-game hitting streak.
- Brooke Pfefferle has reached base in each of her last nine games.
- Pfefferle needs to score three runs to become the 10th player in program history to reach that milestone.
Up Next
After this weekend invite, Austin Peay will play its final game before opening Ohio Valley Conference play with a single contest at Middle Tennessee, 5 p.m., next Wednesday. For news and updates on everything Governors softball, follow along on Twitter (@GovsSB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
