NC Tennessee News

Lexi Osowski-Anderson homered, and Jordan Benefiel threw her second straight shutout, as Austin Peay State University's softball team defeated Villanova, 2-0, Saturday morning at Jane B. Moore Field, on Day two of the Tiger Invitational, before falling to Dayton in the day's second game, 5-2.The Govs (2-5) will conclude their stay at the Tiger Invitational, 2:30 p.m., Sunday, with a rematch with tournament host, No. 21 nationally ranked Auburn.

Austin Peay 2, Villanova 0

The Govs and Wildcats (4-4) proved early-on that they were going to be involved in a classic pitcher's duel, with the two teams only scratching out a single hits between the pair over the game's first three innings.

But Austin Peay's first hit of the day proved to be a big one, as Osowski-Anderson hammered a ball out over the left field wall for her first home run of the season to give the Govs a 1-0 lead.

And much like the day before, that proved to be more than enough for Benefiel (2-2) as the junior authored her second straight shutout of the weekend, holding Villanova to four hits, while walking two and striking out six.

The score would remain that way until the fifth, when the Govs added an insurance run to go up two, 2-0.

Gabi Apaig would get the inning going with a one-out single, with Jaya Herring replacing her at first base as a pinch runner.

After an out moved Herring into scoring position at second base, she would steal third base and score on a sacrifice fly to left field by Megan Hodum.

Dayton 5, Austin Peay 2

Austin Peay got into an early hole versus the Flyers (4-4), giving up two runs to Dayton in the top of the first inning, but cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third inning.

Morgan Zuege would open the inning with a single and move around the bases on a passed ball and a ground out before scoring on a single by Kendyl Weinzapfel, to make it 2-1.

But that would be as close as the Govs would get the rest of the way, as the Flyers added three more runs in the top of the fourth, to go up 5-1.

The Govs wouldn't go away without a fight, as they threatened to get back into the game in the bottom of the fifth.

Apaig opened the inning with a double, with pinch runner Raylon Roach scoring an out later on a sacrifice fly by Hodum to make it 5-2.

Weinzapfel and Osowski-Anderson would follow with back-to-back single to bring the tying run to the plate, with two outs, but the Govs weren't able to come up with a final hit in the inning.

Inside the Boxscore

• The back-to-back shutouts by Jordan Benefiel are the first by a Govs pitcher since she turned the trick against Belmont on March 27-28, 2021.
• Lexi Osowski-Anderson's home run vs. Villanova was her 27th career home run tying her with Kacy Acree (2016-19) for fourth-place all-time in program history,
• Sophomore Raylon Roach has scored a run in both of her pinch runner appearances this season.
• The win versus Villanova moves the Govs overall record versus teams from the Big East Conference to 2-1 all-time.

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