CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Led by stellar performances in the circle by pitchers Cameron Grayson and Alanah Jones, Austin Peay State University's softball team earned a pair of wins on the final day of the Cathi Maynard Invitational and extend its winning streak to ten, Sunday, at Cathi Maynard Park.
Game One
Austin Peay 9, Western Michigan 2
Austin Peay trailed 2-1 through in the middle of the second inning, scored eight unanswered runs – including seven in the bottom of the second alone – to earn its first win of the afternoon.
Bottom 1st | Emilee Baker and Brie Howard led off with a single and walk, respectively, before advancing into scoring position following a Sammie Shelander ground out to the Broncos first base man. Natalie Burns then drove in Baker for the first run of the contest.
Top 2nd | Western Michigan answered Austin Peay's earl run with a solo home run in the top of the second before taking the lead on an RBI double down the left field line.
Bottom 2nd | Mimi Blackledge and Jade Castillo both were walked in the bottom of the second, with Makayla Navarro reaching on a fielder's choice which kept runners on first and second. An error by WMU's shortstop then loaded the bases, putting Ashlyn Graklanoff on first. Emilee Baker singled to left field to score two runs before Brie Howard's 10th home run of the season cleared the bases and gave the Govs a 6-2 lead with one out. Just two batters later, following a Shelander single, Natalie Burns tallied her sixth home run of the nonconference campaign to add two more runs for the Govs.
Bottom 6th | Four innings after fourth home run of the weekend, Brie Howard fired a solo home run over the left field wall in what was the final scoring of the day for either side.
Pitching Breakdown | Emily Marks started the game in the circle for the Governors and went 1.2 innings, allowing four hits and two runs. Cameron Grayson then entered into the circle for APSU, pitching 5.1 frames, surrendering just two hits and no runs while striking out our batters to earn her fifth win of the season.
Game Two
Austin Peay 1, Western Michigan 0
Bottom 6th | In only scoring of the contest, Emilee Baker earned a one-out walk, before Brie Howard reached first on an error by WMU's shortstop. Sammie Shelander then doubled to right field, which scored Baker for the game-winning run.
Pitching Breakdown | Alanah Jones went the distance for the Govs, striking out five Broncos in the shutout victory, Jones allowed just one extra-base hit and three hits on the game, tallying her 10th win of the season.
