CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's softball team opens its 39th season of play, this weekend at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex in Montgomery, Alabama, as they participate in the Alabama State Stinger Classic.
The Governors will open play Friday with a pair of games, starting with Western Carolina, at 11 a.m., followed by an afternoon contest with Mississippi Valley, at 3 p.m.
Saturday will see the Govs play the final two games of the day, facing Hampton, at 5 p.m., and Purdue Fort Wayne, at 7 p.m.
Austin Peay will wrap up play in the classic on Sunday, with a contest versus Houston Christian, at 11 a.m.
The Govs will not play tournament host Alabama State in the classic.
Austin Peay, who is picked to finish fourth in the 2024 Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Poll, is coming off a 27-24 season in 2023, including a 12-12 mark in their first season in the ASUN, and return 17 letterwinners, including six starters, along with five true freshmen on this year's roster.
Among their returnees are senior pitcher Jordan Benefiel and junior first baseman Kylie Campbell, who were both selected to the All-SUN Preseason Team.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Western Carolina: The Catamounts, of the Southern Conference, are coming off a 21-26 record in 2023 and were picked to finish sixth in their conference's preseason poll.
Mississippi Valley: The Delta Devils, of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, are coming off a 2-28 record in 2023 and were picked to finish sixth in the SWAC's East Division.
Hampton: The Pirates, of the Coastal Athletic Association, are coming off a 15-31 record in 2023 and were picked 12th in the CAA's preseason poll.
Purdue Fort Wayne: The Mastodons, of the Horizon League, are coming off a 17-32 record in 2023 and are picked to finish eighth in their league's preseason poll.
Houston Christian: The Huskies, of the Southland Conference, are coming off a 20-33 record in 2023 and were picked to finish seventh in their conference's preseason poll.
Inside the lines
- Austin Peay is 19-19 all-time in season-opening contests and 36-43-1 overall in all games played on the opening day of the season.
- This is the second time in the past three years where the Govs have opened the season at the Stinger Classic, having also opened the 2022 season at Alabama State's home classic.
- The 2024 Stinger Classic marks the 25th time the Governors have played an in-season, or post-season, tournament in the State of Alabama, the most of any state in program history.
- The Govs are 5-1 all-time versus Mississippi Valley, 3-0 versus Purdue Fort Wayne, 2-2 versus Western Carolina, while this weekend's matchups versus Hampton and Houston Christian will be the first meeting between the two schools on the softball field.
- Head coach Kassie Stanfill is seven wins away from becoming the program's all-time wins leader (135 career wins).
- Junior infielder Macee Roberts enters the 2024 season riding a 10-game hit streak to end the 2023 season.
- Senior pitcher Jordan Benefiel is 11 strikeouts away from becoming the fifth pitcher in program history to record 400 career strikeouts.
Up Next
Austin Peay heads north next weekend (Feb. 17-18) as they travel to Evansville, Indiana, to play in the Aces Invitational, where they will face Miami (OH) and tournament host Evansville.
Tickets
For information, or to buy tickets to 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 X (formally 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.
