The APSU softball team fell in their final non-conference matchup of the season in a 3-2 defeat at the hands of MTSU on Wednesday, April 28.

Pitching reigned superior early in Wednesday’s contest. Midway through the fourth inning, each team only recorded a single hit and the Govs were the only ones who had put a runner in scoring position — although the runner was stranded at third in the inning.

It was not until an RBI single by fifth-year senior Drew Dudley in the bottom of the fourth that the scoreless stalemate was broken. 

After Dudley’s single put the Govs on the board, senior Brooke Pfefferle followed suit on a single that drove in Kelsey Gross to give the Govs a 2-0 lead heading into the fifth.

Shelby Harpe was relieved on the mound by Jordan Benefiel prior to the start of the sixth inning. Harpe tossed five scoreless innings, allowed one hit and had just one Blue Raider reach scoring position.

MTSU recorded the would-be game-winning shot in the sixth after a three-run homerun by Lexi Cushing. Following the homer to deep left-center field, the Govs were unable to answer and were retired in order over their final two frames.

APSU suffered their longest losing streak of the season over the weekend after dropping all three games to SIUE. Now on their first four-game losing streak since February of 2020, the team looks to quickly put the loss behind them and gain momentum on the offensive end.

“We just have to figure it out,” said APSU head coach Kassie Stanfill. “We had the game, in the sixth inning [MTSU] came back and hit a home run and they’re up 3-2. For us, we as a team have to keep our confidence and our trust in one another that we still have six outs to get the job done. We are a hitting-[minded] team. That’s what we do, we’re offensively strong and instead of putting the pressure we need to rise to the occasion.”

During their last four games the Governors have been held to a combined .172 batting average.

Up next, the team will travel to Martin, Tenn. for their final regular-season road series of the season. UTM (13-10) currently sit in sixth place in the OVC standings, while APSU (18-10) currently has a hold onto the third-best record in the conference.