Jacksonville, FL – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team dropped a pair of one-run decisions to North Florida in its Atlantic Sun Conference opening doubleheader Saturday at the UNF Softball Complex, falling in a 1-0 pitchers duel to open the day before then falling in a 3-2 walk off in the nightcap.
Game 1
Austin Peay 0, North Florida 1
Morgan Zuege opened the game with a leadoff single on the fifth pitch of the afternoon, but it was the only offense for Austin Peay State University in the first frame, as she was stranded at first following a pair of flyouts and a strikeout to send the game into the bottom of the first.
With runners on second and third, North Florida’s Logan Jackson drove in the game’s lone score on a one-out grounder.
Kendyl Weinzapfel opened the second inning with a four-pitch walk and advanced after stealing second on the Govs’ next plate appearance. A Kiley Hinton single through the left side advanced Weinzapfel to third, as she herself later stole second to give APSU a pair of runners in scoring position, but the APSU Govs were unable to capitalize.
Following the UNF’s lone hit to open their side of the first inning, the Governors held the Ospreys’ without a hit until the bottom of the fifth when they tallied their second – and final – of the game on a single to the right side.
After registering a hit in their opening three frames, Austin Peay State University’s offense was stymied following the third, as the Govs’ were only able to reach base once more, coming on a Gabi Apiag walk in the top of the fifth.
Making her ninth start of the season, Samantha Miener matched her season-high with six innings of work on 103 pitches and no earned runs.
Game 2
Austin Peay 2, North Florida 3
North Florida scored a run in the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead entering the fourth, which proved to be Austin Peay State University’s best offensive inning of the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Raylon Roach pinch ran for Brie Howard after she got hit by a pitch for the eighth time this season – tied for the fifth most in a single season in program history – and advanced to third following singles by Macee Roberts and Weinzapfel.
Mea Clark then drove in Roberts on the APSU Govs’ next plate appearance, and a Hinton fly out to left field drove in Roberts to tie the game at two to end the fourth inning’s scoring.
Still tied at two entering the bottom of the seventh, the Ospreys’ first two batters reached base on a walk and fielding error. A UNF bunt advanced both into scoring position until a RBI single drove in the game-winning run.
Between the Lines
Austin Peay State University dropped its first two games against UNF, and falls to 0-2 all-time in the series.
Head coach Kassie Stanfill were her 250th and 251st games at Austin Peay State University.
Brie Howard was hit by a pitch in the top of the fourth inning in the second game, bringing her season total to eight, which is tied with Lexi Osowski-Anderson (2022), Kacy Acree (2017), and Courtney Brower (2014) for the fifth-most in a single season.
Jordan Benefiel made her 100th career appearance in the circle for APSU in the second game of the afternoon, becoming just the sixth pitcher in program history to accomplish the feat.
