CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – With three weeks left in the regular season, Austin Peay State University's softball team faces North Alabama in its penultimate Atlantic Sun Conference road series, Saturday and Sunday, at Hilda B. Anderson Softball Stadium in Florence, Alabama. The Governors and Lions begin the series with a 1 p.m., Saturday doubleheader before playing again at 1 p.m., Sunday, in the finale.
Austin Peay (26-18, 8-7 ASUN) is coming off a 3-2 midweek loss to UT Martin, Tuesday, after winning last weekend's series against Lipscomb, 2-1. The Govs swept a Saturday doubleheader against Lipscomb last Saturday with 6-0 and 3-2 victories, before having a late comeback bid fall short in the finale, dropping a 10-7 Sunday decision.
One of the premier home run hitting teams in the country, Austin Peay paces the ASUN and ranks 20th nationally with 64 four baggers this year. The Govs also have three athletes that rank top 10 in the ASUN in the category, with junior Brie Howard ranking second in the league and 14th in the NCAA with 18 on the year. Howard's 18 homers are tied for the most in a season in program history, matching current assistant coach and the only All-American in program history to date, Danielle Liermann.
Katie Raper is second on the team and fourth all-time in a single season with 14, ranking fourth in the conference, while Sammie Shelander's 11 this season and seventh in the league.
In addition to her home run numbers, Howard leads the ASUN with a program-record 60 home runs – she passed Liermann's previous record of 53 three weeks ago at Central Arkansas. Her 60 RBI are 13th nationally, while Shelander's 41 are eighth in the league and 119th across Division I.
In the circle, the Govs have been led by Alanah Jones, who is second in the conference in wins (15), innings (115.2), and shutouts (5), while her 22 starts are third across the league. Joining Jones in the circle, Cameron Grayson is second on APSU in ERA (4.23), wins (9), appearances (25), starts (14), and innings pitched (84.1).
This weekend's series is the second between the Govs and Lions this season, with APSU opening a March 21-22 series against UNA with a five-inning, 8-0 win before falling 5-0 and 5-4 in the following contests.
North Alabama (28-12, 10-5 ASUN) is third in the AUSN Gold Division standings and one spot above the Govs with nine conference games to play.
North Alabama is third in the ASUN with 6.25 runs per game, while its 3.63 team-wide ERA and 1.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranking second in the ASUN.
Saturday's doubleheader will be streamed live on ESPN+. Fans can follow along to Sunday's single game on the Roar Lions Production or via statbroadcast.com.
Up Next
After this weekend's games, the Governors return to the Volunteer State to face Lipscomb, April 25-26, in Nashville.
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