The Eastern Kentucky University softball team will close its regular season with a series against Austin Peay, according to an April 30 announcement. The teams are set to play a doubleheader on Friday and conclude the series on Saturday.
This matchup has implications for the ASUN Conference Tournament, as the Colonels could secure anywhere from the No. 1 to No. 3 seed depending on results. The games will be streamed on ESPN+, and live statistics will be available throughout the weekend.
Eastern Kentucky (26-22-1, 13-6-1 ASUN) recently won a series against Bellarmine after dropping the first game but rallying in the final two contests. Austin Peay (28-22, 10-11 ASUN) comes into this weekend after clinching an ASUN Tournament spot by taking two out of three games over Lipscomb.
Austin Peay features one of the conference’s strongest offenses, ranking second in home runs with 69 and batting .298 as a team this season. Brie Howard leads their offense with a .363 average and is at the top of several statistical categories for her team. Sammie Shelander also contributes significantly, posting a .384 average along with notable power numbers.
Earlier this year, Eastern Kentucky took two out of three games from Austin Peay after losing game one. Key performances included Kennedy Drafton’s two-RBI double that secured a comeback win in game three of that earlier series.
Last weekend saw standout efforts from Emily Mariscal—who batted .833 over two games and was named ASUN Player of the Week—and Victoria Byrum, who pitched a complete-game victory allowing only four hits and one run while striking out five batters.
The outcome of this final regular-season series will determine tournament seeding for both teams as they prepare for postseason play.
