Clarksville, TN – On Saturday afternoon at Cathi Maynard Park, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team scored three fifth-inning runs against Bellarmine to break open a tie game and pull away with a 6-3 victory, taking the Atlantic Sun Conference series two games to one.
Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth, Austin Peay (17-17; 3-6 ASUN) got its leadoff batter on when Macee Roberts drew a walk.
Jaya Herring was brought in to pinch run and was moved into scoring position at second base on a sacrifice bunt by Kendyl Weinzapfel.
After moving to third on a deep fly ball off the bat of Mea Clark, Herring scored on an error by Bellarmine (12-19; 4-5 ASUN) when Skylar Sheridan dropped down a bunt, but the throw to first was dropped, giving the APSU Govs a 4-3 lead.
But the APSU Govs weren’t through, as Kiley Hinton hammered the first pitch she saw deep over the left field fence for her first collegiate home run, also driving in Sheridan, and giving the Govs a 6-3 lead.
Those three runs would be more than enough for Samantha Miener (5-7) as she closed out the game with three shutout innings of relief, giving up just two hits.
Austin Peay State University would jump our early on the Knights, scoring three times in the top of the first inning, with Morgan Zuege, Kylie Campbell and Brie Howard opening the inning with back-to-back-to-back singles, with Howard’s driving in Zuege.
Roberts scored Campbell with a sacrifice fly for the APSU Govs’ second run of the inning. A batter later, Weinzapfel drove in Howard with a single for the final run of the inning and a 3-0 lead.
The Knights would battle back and cut the lead to 3-2 with two runs in the second inning and then tie the game 3-3 in the third with what turned out to be their final run of the game.
Between the Lines
Brie Howard’s first-inning single extended her string of games reaching base to 19 straight, the fifth-longest by an APSU softball player since the 2000 season.
Austin Peay State University is now 13-9 all-time versus Bellarmine.
The two RBIs by Kiley Hinton were a career single-game high.
Skylar Sheridan, in her first career start in right field, made a diving catch of a sinking line drive in the top of the fourth inning to save a possible go-ahead run for Bellarmine.
The APSU Govs turned the game’s only double play.
APSU Govs Online
For up-to-date news and information on Austin Peay State University softball, go to LetsGoPeay.com or follow along on X (formally Twitter) and Instagram (@GovsSB), or on Facebook. Live stats will be available during all home games at PeayStats.com.
In addition, all APSU home games will be broadcast on ESPN+ this season; visit the softball schedule at LetsGoPeay.com for a complete broadcast schedule.
Next Up For APSU Softball
The Austin Peay State University softball team steps out of conference play when it returns to action next Wednesday as they travel east to play the Chattanooga Mocs.
