CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – After earning its first series sweep of Atlantic Sun Conference play, Austin Peay State University's softball team takes a step out of league play when it hosts Middle Tennessee at 4 p.m., Tuesday, at Cathi Maynard Park.

Austin Peay (24-15) combined to outscore Bellarmine 34-3 last weekend, with all three games being decided in five innings. The series sweep was the Govs' first since the start of the 2025 ASUN season, also against the Knights.

Seven Governors combined to bat .500-or-better last weekend, led by Kiley Hinton's .667 average and five runs scored. Brie Howard paced the team with seven hits, while Sammie Shelander batted .556 with five hits, two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, and a 1.444 slugging percentage. In the circle, Cameron Grayson posted a 0.0 ERA across two appearances and as many wins. The junior right-handed pitcher totaled 8.0 innings of work, allowed just six hits, and did not surrender a single extra-base hit.

Collectively, APSU leads the ASUN and rank 14th nationally with 61 home runs – just 10 from tying the program record, set last season – while its 0.546 team-wide slugging percentage also leads the conference and ranks 40th in the NCAA.

Last weekend, Howard tied the single-season program record with her 18th home run of the season and needs just one home run to surpass Danielle Liermann's 18 from the 2019 season. Howard's 18 homers this season lead the ASUN and rank sixth nationally. Howard already set the APSU single-season RBI record two weeks ago at Central Arkansas, with her 59 on the season ranking fifth nationally.

Austin Peay is 19-40 all-time against Middle Tennessee, but earned a 6-5, eight-inning win over the Blue Raiders last February, ending a four-game losing streak to the in-state foe.

Middle Tennessee (14-21) enters Tuesday's midweek having lost eight of its last nine contests, but salvaged its fifth Conference USA series of the season with an 11-9 win over Louisiana Tech, Saturday.

Up Next

Austin Peay closes as seven-game homestand when its hosts Lipscomb for Senior Weekend, Saturday-Sunday, at Cathi Maynard Park. The series against the Bisons begins with a 2 p.m., Saturday doubleheader and concludes with a 1 p.m., Sunday game. Senior Day festivities will begin following Sunday's contest.

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