CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's softball team opens its third Atlantic Sun Conference season with a trio of games against Bellarmine, Thursday-Friday, at Knights Field in Louisville, Kentucky. The Governors begin the series with a 2 p.m. (CT), Thursday contest, before facing the Knights in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m., Friday.

Austin Peay (22-3) currently enters league play on the second-longest active winning in the country at 19 games. That program-record streak, which began with a 6-4 win against Tarleton State, Feb. 14, trails only No. 1 Oklahoma's 25-game stretch that dates back to last season's Women's College World Series. It also is seven games longer than the previous mark, which APSU set during the 2018 campaign. The Governors' 22 wins this season also are the 13th-most in the program's 40-year history.

Led by one of the nation's most potent offenses, APSU leads the ASUN and ranks Top 25 in the NCAA in runs per game (7.4, 20th), home runs (34, 21st), hits (232, 13th), and doubles (46, 8th). 

The Govs' offense has been paced by senior utility Kylie Campbell, who leads the team in hits (35), doubles (9), triples (4), batting average (.449), slugging percentage (.821), and on-base percentage (.495). 

A Ninety Six, South Carolina native, Campbell is coming off back-to-back three-hit performances against UMass Lowell and Appalachian State last Saturday and Sunday, respectively. She also hit the game-winning home run, leading APSU to a 4-3 victory against Appalachian State, in what was the lone game of the weekend that was not a run-rule decision. 

Campbell is one of eight Governors with multiple home runs this season, and one of four has at least four. APSU's long-ball offense is led by Katie Raper and Sam Leski's seven, and followed by Kiley Hinton's six. Leski and Raper's seven home runs are best for 53rd nationally and second in the ASUN, while Hinton's mark ranks fifth in the league.

Despite having a career-best 15-game hitting streak come to an end last time out against the Mountaineers, sophomore Brie Howard currently has still reached base in a career-long 18-straight games, dating back to Feb. 14. The Burlison, Tennessee native had six hits at last weekend's Cathi Maynard Invitation while batting third and starting in center field across each contest.

Bellarmine (4-10) is in the middle of a 10-game homestand. It has begun that stretch with losses to Ball State, Stonehill, and Evansville. The Knights lead the ASUN with 8.3 hits allowed per seven innings and are fourth in the league with 0.43 double plays per game.

Led by seventh-year and the winningest head coach in program history, Kassie Stanfill is 173-129 at Austin Peay. In addition to leading the Governors to the best start to a season in program history, Stanfill also helped lead the program to its first ranked win following a 5-3 victory against No. 22 Florida Atlantic, March 1, during the Governors Classic.

This weekend's games will not be live-streamed on ESPN+, but fans can still follow along live at the link above.

Up Next

The Govs first of three midweeks during league play takes them to the River City where they face Southern Indiana in a 3 p.m. (CT), Wednesday contest t the USI Softball Field in Evansville, Indiana. 

Between the Lines

• Austin Peay's 22 wins this season are tied for the fifth-most in the NCAA.
• Austin Peay's 19-game winning streak, 10 more than that of Eastern Kentucky's nine-game streak.
• Austin Peay is 13-9 all-time against Bellarmine and has won five of the last six meetings against the Knights.
• The Governors face the Knights in Louisville for the first time since defeating them 8-2 (4/14/92).
• During its 19-game winning streak, the Governors are outscoring opponents 140-42, or by 5.16 runs per game. 
• Samantha Miener and Emberly lead Austin Peay's pitching staff with seven wins this season, while Ashley Martin is 2-0 on the season with a team-best 1.89 ERA and five saves – tied for the most in a single-season in program history. 

Scouting the Knights

• The Knights are sixth in the ASUN Gold Division and 12th in the league as a whole with four wins. 
• Bellarmine has dropped three-straight games entering ASUN play. 
• The Knights' last win came in a 5-1 victory against Butler, March 2at the Make It Happen Games in Madeira Beach, Florida.
• Senior infielder Harlie Brickett leads Bellarmine with 11 hits, five doubles, and seven RBI. 
• Senior Claire Lehmkuhler leads Bellarmine's pitching staff with two wins across 33.0 innings pitched, while Kelsie Houchens paces the team with a 3.2 ERA in 30.2 innings of work in the circle. 

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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.