CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Junior pitcher Jordan Benefiel pitched her first career no-hitter for Austin Peay State University's softball team, Tuesday afternoon at Cathi Maynard Park-Cheryl Holt Field, as the Governors shutout Providence, 8-0.

The no-hitter by Benefiel (5-4) is the ninth overall in program history and the first since Morgan Rackel turned the trick on February 17, 2019, versus Jackson State.

Along with giving up no hits, she would finish the game with seven strikeouts, while giving up three walks.

The Govs (7-7) on the other hand has no problems with their offense, as they recorded runs in each inning, while recording eight hits and five walks.

Walks in fact, played a big part in the Govs first run of the day, as walks to Medan Hodum and Kylie Campbell, sandwiched around an infield single by Lexi Osowski-Anderson loaded the bases in the bottom of the first with no outs.

The Friars (7-9) would get the first out of the inning on a fielder's choice, cutting Hodum down at the plate, but that was followed by a bases-load one out walk to Kendyl Weinzapfel to force in Osowski-Anderson with the game's first run.

The Govs would add three more runs to their total in the second inning, aided by two Providence errors.

After getting the first out of the inning, the Friars committed back-to-back errors putting Morgan Zuege on second base and Hodum on first.

A walk to Osowski-Anderson would load the bases, with Campbell following with a two-run single and Mea Clark a run-scoring double to make it 4-0.

The third inning would see Austin Peay put up another three spot on the scoreboard, with Skylar Sheridan getting things started  by drawing a walk followed by back-to-back singles by Gabi Apiag and Emily Harkleroad, with Harkleroad's single scoring Sheridan.

Apiag would then score on a passed ball, with Harkleroad scoring two outs later on a single by Osowski-Anderson, pushing the score to 7-0.

Austin Peay's final run came in the bottom of the fourth, with Clark leading off the inning with a triple and pinch runner Charly Pursley scoring on an infield out by Apiag for the 8-0 final score.

Inside the Boxscore

• The win for Jordan Benefiel was the 27th of her career, tying her with Lauren de Castro (2011-14) for 10^th-place all-time in program history.
• Benefiel's shutout was the 7th of her career, tying her with Stacey Hrabota (1994-96) for sixth-most in program history.
• Austin Peay stole four bases versus the Friars, giving them 10 overall in their last two games.
• The five walks received by the Govs tied their season high.
• Kylie Campbell extended her hit streak to six straight games, longest by a Govs this season.
• Austin Peay is now 2-1 all-time versus Providence and 2-0 this season versus opponents from the Big East Conference (Villanova).

Up Next

Austin Peay hosts the Governors Classic this Friday through Sunday at Cathi Maynard Park-Cheryl Holt Field, with Belmont, Dayton and Illinois-Chicago, joining the Govs in the three-day event.

Tickets

For information, or to buy tickets to the Governors Classic or any other 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.