CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's softball team will play host to Northern Iowa at 1 p.m., Wednesday, at Cathi Maynard Park-Cheryl Holt Field, as they open the home part of their 2023 schedule. 

The Governors (2-6) enter the matchup having gone 2-3 overall this past weekend at the Auburn Tiger Invitational, with shutout victories over Dayton and Villanova, while the Panthers (0-5) have not played since the opening weekend of the 2023 season, on February 10-12, when they hosted their own Doc Halverson-UNI Dome Classic. 

After the first two weekends of play, the Govs are led offensively by graduate third baseman Lexi Osowski-Anderson, who is batting .375, with a double, triple and a home run among her nine hits this season. She has also driven in a team co-leading four RBI (along with Megan Hodum), while scoring twice. 

Senior shortstop Gabi Apiag is also off to a good start at the plate, batting .348, with three doubles among her eight overall hits this season. She has also scored three runs and driven in two. 

In the circle, junior Jordan Benefiel (2-3) leads the Governors' pitching staff, posting a 2.90 ERA in 31.1 innings of work this season, while striking out 31 and holding opponents to a .248 batting average. 

The Panthers are led by a pair of .300+ hitters after their lone weekend of play, starting with Taylor Hogan (.333, two runs, one RBI) and Faith Standerski (.300, one runs, one RBI), while Samantha Heyer tops a trio of Panther pitchers who have seen action this season, with 14.2 innings pitched with a 4.30 ERA and 12 strikeouts. 

Between the Lines 

• This is the second straight year the Govs and Panthers have played each other, and the sixth game overall in the all-time series, dating back to March 15, 1992, all coming in Clarksville. 
• This is the Govs first home contest in the month of February since hosting Miami University on February 13, 2015. 
• APSU is 21-16 all-time in-home openers and have won the last five. 
• The Govs are 19-21 all-time in-home games played in February. 
• Lexi Osowski-Anderson needs one hit to move alone into fourth-place all-time for career hits in program history, with 202, and one RBI to move alone into second place all-time for career RBIs, with 119. 

Up Next

Austin Peay is off until March 3-5, when they travel to Bowling Green, Ky., to participate in the WKU Spring Fling Tournament, where they will face Akron, Evansville and host school, Western Kentucky.

Tickets, Please

For information to buy tickets for home softball games this season, go online at LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets or call the Austin Peay Ticket Office at 931-221-PEAY (7329).

Govs Online

For up-to-date news and information on Austin Peay softball, go to LetsGoPeay.com or follow along on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsSB), or on Facebook. Live stats will be available during all home games at PeayStats.com. In addition, all Austin Peay home games will be broadcast on ESPN+ this season, visit the softball schedule at LetsGoPeay.com for a complete broadcast schedule.