Colonels will play regular-season champion SEMO today at 11 am
OXFORD, Ala. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team knocked off Austin Peay State University, 5-2, in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday night.
Eastern Kentucky (33-15, 22-9 OVC) scored runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to take control over Austin Peay and not look back.
Austin Peay (27-15, 22-11 OVC) got on the board first in the top of the third after a RBI single by Emily Harkleroad to left field.
The Colonels answered back in the bottom half of the inning with a crooked number.
Jaelyn Sanders got things started with a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Sammi Miller followed with a single to left field to put runners on the corners with no one out. Zoe Mihalicz tied the game with a RBI sacrifice fly to center field to score Sanders and tie the game at 1-1. After a ground out, Vianna Barron took the 1-0 pitch over the left field fence to give Eastern a 3-1 advantage.
Isabella Gonzalez joined in on the fun in the bottom of the fourth taking the 0-2 pitch deep to dead center field to extend the EKU lead 4-1.
The two teams each pushed a run across in the fifth inning.
Barron went 1-for-1 with one home run and three RBIs. Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with one home run and one RBI.
Harkleload went 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Mollie Paulick picked up the win in the circle tossing three and one-third innings allowing one run and striking out four. Samantha Reynoso tossed three and one-third inning allowing one run and striking out three.
The Colonels will take on No. 1 seed Southeast Missouri State tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. ET.
