CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Fresh off a 4-0 weekend in Greenville, South Carolina, Austin Peay State University's softball team hosts Middle Tennessee in a 3 p.m., Wednesday contest for its 2025 home opener at Cathi Maynard Park.
The midweek is the first of four for Austin Peay (11-3) this season and the first since a 5-2 win over Tennessee Tech (4/24/24) last year.
A week ago, the Governors outscored opponents 27-3 at the Furman Classic, posting run-rule victories against the host Paladins and Morehead State – who Austin Peay will face twice later this week at the Governors Classic.
Austin Peay's high-powered offense was paced by five home runs coming off the bat of five different Governors. Sammie Shelander was one of those Govs with a four-bagger and paced the team with 10 RBI across her five hits in Greenville. Sophomore Brie Howard and senior Kylie Campbell both led the Govs with six hits and four runs, while both tallied a double in a successful trip to the Palmetto State.
In the circle, Samantha Miener paced APSU's pitching staff with eight strikeouts across 8.2 scoreless innings, holding opponents to a .200 batting average and earning a seven-strikeout victory against Northern Iowa, Saturday.
Ashley Martin also did not allow a run last weekend across 4.0 innings, allowing just two hits, and picking up the victory in an 8-0 win against Furman, Friday.
Wednesday's contest against Middle Tennessee (4-10) marks the seventh-straight – non COVID-19 affected – season that the Govs and Blue Raiders have met on the diamond. The Blue Raiders lead the all-time series, 40-18.
Led by seventh-year and the winningest head coach in program history, Kassie Stanfill is 162-129 at the helm of Governors softball. Notably, Stanfill is 5-1 in home openers with her lone loss came last season against Kansas.
Wednesday's game against the Blue Raiders and all Austin Peay home softball games will be broadcasted live on ESPN+ with Ethan Schmidt on the call.
Up Next
The Governors continue their 12-game homestand with their first of two-straight home hoem tournaments, beginning with the Governors Classic, Friday-Sunday.
Between The Lines
- At 11-3 through the opening three weekends, the Governors are off to their best start to a season in program history.
- Austin Peay's 17 home runs through the opening 14 games of the 2025 slate is just one behind the team's 2024 total.
- Sam Leski leads the team with five home runs an 16 RBI. She has at least one RBI in six of the last eight games and one home run in four of her last seven appearances.
- Kylie Campbell paces the team with 21 hits this season. She has at least one base knock in 13-of-14 games, including 10 straight.
- Emberly Nichols leads APSU's four pitchers with five wins this season.
- Ashley Martin is 2-0 in the circle this season with a team-best 2.51 ERA.
- Samantha Miener has pitched a team-best 32.1 innings and leads the team with six starts.
- The Governors lead the ASUN and rank 11th in the NCAA with a .982 fielding percentage.
- Austin Peay leads the ASUN and ranks 14th nationally with eight double plays.
- Austin Peay also leads the ASUN in home runs (17), runs per game (6.64) and slugging percentage (.518).
- Individually, Ashley Martin is third in the NCAA with three saves, while Macee Roberts is fourth nationally with four sacrifice hits – both leading the ASUN.
- Kylie Campbell's three triples this season pace the ASUN and rank sixth nationally.
Scouting the Blue Raiders
- Middle Tennessee enters the midweek 4-10 and coming off a 1-3 weekend at the Mercer Tournament in Macon, Georgia.
- MTSU is led by 13th-year head coach, Jeff Breeden, who is 276-364 at the helm of Blue Raiders softball.
- Last season, MTSU went 21-31 with a 7-17 mark in Conference USA play, and did not make the postseason.
- MTSU's 9.32 hits allowed per seven innings pace CUSA and rank 74th in the NCAA.
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For news and updates throughout the 2025 softball season, follow the Governors on X and Instagram (@GovsSB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com for stories and schedule updates.
