Greenville, SC – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team allowed just one run, earning a 6-1 victory against Holy Cross and 8-0, six-inning against Furman on its first day of the Furman Classic, Friday, at Pepsi Stadium.
Brie Howard led Austin Peay’s (9-3) with four hits in six plate appearances on the day, while Sammie Shelaner brought in a team-best four runs. In the circle, Emberly Nichols and Samantha Miener both pitched 3.2 innings on the day without allowing a run.
Game 1 – vs. Holy Cross
Austin Peay 6, Holy Cross 1
Emma Thompson fanned two in the top of the first to strand Holy Cross’ second batter in the top of the first inning. Each of APSU’s first four up to the plate reached base safely, with Raylon Roach, Kylie Campbell, and Macee Roberts led off the bottom of the first frame with singles, as Roberts’ base knock scored the game’s first run. Sammie Shelander then reached on a fielder’s choice, bringing in Campbell to extend APSU’s early advantage.
Campbell drove in Kayleigh Roper in the bottom of the second to make it a 3-0 APSU lead through two innings.
Austin Peay had three on base in the bottom of the third following a Shelander hit by pitch, a Sam Leski five-pitch walk and Katie Raper reaching on a fielder’s choice and error at second base, but the trio was stranded following a pair of swinging strikeouts to end the inning.
A Crusaders’ RBI single briefly cut into APSU’s lead, but three-RBI, bases-clearing single by Shelander scored the day’s final runs.
After entering to pitch in the top of the fourth, Emberly Nichols went on to earn the win after leaving a pair on base in the bottom of that frame and not allowing a baserunner in the sixth of seventh.
Gov of Decision: Emberly Nichols (W, 5-2) – 3.2 IP, 1H, 3K, 0R, 0ER, 11 BF
Game 2 – at Furman
Austin Peay 8, Furman 0
The Governors needed just six innings to earn its second shutout victory of the season after blanking Furman, 8-0.
Roach again led off the game with a single and was brought across the plate off a Brie Howard double, the sophomore outfielder’s first extra-base knock of the season.
The second of APSU’s three, three-run innings on the day began with Sam Leski and Katie Raper posting back-to-back home runs to spark six-straight hits to begin the frame, the first time the program had accomplished such since 2019. Roper then brough in Hinton off a double.
Howard recorded APSU’s next two RBI, with the first coming in the fourth and the final in the sixth. The Burlison, Tennessee native then advanced on a Shelander single and went on to score the run-rule-clinching score off a wild pitch.
Gov of Decision: Ashley Martin (W, 2-0) – 2.1 IP, 1H, 0R, 0 ER, 8 BF
Box Score Bullets
Austin Peay State University improved to 1-1 all-time against Holy Cross and 2-3 against Furman. The win against the Paladins was the Governors first since a 2-1 win at Auburn’s 2004 Tiger Invitational (2/13/04).
Macee Roberts’ team-best two hits against Holy Cross marked her first multi-hit performance of the season. It also was her 21st multi-hit performance of her career.
Sammie Shelander’s team-best three-RBI game against the Crusaders was her second-straight of the season, after recording a three-RBI double against South Dakota (February 16th) in the final game of Tarleton State’s Whataburger Invitational. It also marked the seventh three-RBI performance of her career.
Sam Leski and Katie Raper’s back-to-back home runs marked the first time the Governors have accomplished such since Austin Peay Hall of Famer Morgan Rackel and current assistant coach and former All-American Danielle Liermann hit back-to-back four-baggers against Belmont (3/29/19).
APSU’s 9-3 record is its best start to a season through the opening 12 games of a season.
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