CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – For the sixth time in program history and the fourth time under head coach Kassie Stanfill, Austin Peay State University's softball team reached 30 wins after earning a 2-1, nine-inning victory and 8-0, six-inning Atlantic Sun Conference win against Eastern Kentucky, Friday, at Cathi Maynard Park.
Game One
Austin Peay 2, Eastern Kentucky 1 (9 Innings)
Alanah Jones earned her 17th win of the season in an instant classic victory against Eastern Kentucky, with Natalie Burns walking the Colonels off on a single in the bottom of the ninth to score pinch runner Kam Moore.
Neither team was able to find the scoring column through the first four innings, with the two sides combining for just a quartet of hits in as many frames.
EKU led off the top of the fifth with a walk and sa ingle to put runners on first and second, before a single to center field scored the day's first run; however, a fly out and ground out on the Colonels' next two plate appearances kept it a one-run game.
The Governors were held without a hit from the third inning until the seventh, when Sammie Shelander led off the inning with a home run to right field to tie the game at one.
After retiring the Colonels in order in the top of the eighth, the Govs loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning after Shelander was intentionally walked, but were unable to score the game-winning run… that inning.
Following another three-up, three-down inning by the Colonels in the top of the ninth, Ashlyn Dulaney doubled to right center and her pinch runner – Moore – was brought across the plate by the aforementioned Burns single down the left field line for the game winner.
Dulaney led the Govs with two hits, while both she and Shelander recorded the game's only extra-base hits with their double and home run, respectively.
In the circle, Jones tallied her 12th complete game of the season. The senior right hander struck out six batters in her 9.0 innings of work in the circle.
Game Two
Austin Peay 8, Eastern Kentucky (6 Innings)
The Governors broke two records and tied another in the second game of Friday's doubleheader, with both Brie Howard and Emilee Baker breaking the single-season runs record with their 52nd of the season. Additionally, Shelander's second home run of the day tied the team single-season record with the 71st of the season.
Austin Peay came out of the gate hot in the bottom of the first. After Baker led off by reaching on a throwing error by EKU's third baseman, a Howard double put the pair in scoring position before Shelander's home run to straightaway center field gave the Govs a 3-0 lead with no outs. Kiley Hinton then singled, advanced to second on a ground out and later reached third on a wild pitch, and was scored by Katie Raper.
Two innings later, a Makayla Navarro single scored both Nadia Glass and Hinton to extend the APSU advantage to 6-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Baker led off the inning with a single to the shortstop and was brought in for her 52nd run of the season on a Hinton sacrifice fly.
In the sixth, Howard singled up the middle and advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch before a Hinton fly out to center field – in addition to a throwing error by EKU's center fielder – scored the game-winning run and brought up the run-rule decision.
Baker led the Govs with three hits, while Shelander and Navarro both tallied a pair. Shelander's three RBI led the Govs, while Baker, Howard, and Hinton all scored two runs in the win.
Cameron Grayson notched her sixth complete game and fourth shutout of the season in her 10th win of the season. The junior pitcher struck out a pair of Colonels and did not allow an extra-base hit.
Up Next
Austin Peay closes the regular season with a 1 p.m., Saturday contest against the Colonels at Cathi Maynard Park. Following the finale, APSU prepares for the 2026 ASUN Softball Championship at the UNF Softball Complex in Jacksonville, Florida. The Governors enter the postseason as the #8 seed and will face the #5 seed in a 1:30 p.m., Tuesday contest. A full tournament bracket, including seeding, game times, and other information will be finalized after this week's games across the league.
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