LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bellarmine University softball team returns to ASUN play on the road after its quick, one game break at home, for a second three-game series with the Austin Peay State University Governors Friday, April 4 to Saturday, April 5.

Due to the weather forecast in the region, the series, that was originally scheduled for Friday, April 4 to Sunday April 6 at Austin Peay, has been moved to Middle Tennessee State University's Blue Raider Softball Field in Murfreesboro, TN. The series will now begin Friday at 5 pm E.T. with a doubleheader scheduled for 2 and 4:30 pm E.T. on Saturday.

All three games will still be broadcast on ESPN+ with live stats available online.

The Knights took a short break from ASUN play with a home midweek game against Tenneessee Tech on Wednesday, resulting in 9-1 loss for Bellarmine in six innings. Freshman Lauren Guthrie provided the only offense for the Knights, ripping a pinch hit, RBI double in the fifth inning. Senior Reni Shemwell also tallied a double in the game with junior Madison Davis and sophomore Lilli Burns recording a single each.

This season, senior Harlie Bickett leads the offense hitting .237 with team team-highs in hits (18), doubles (5), triples (1), runs (13) and stolen bases (6) while ranking tied for second in home runs and third in RBI (8) and walks (12). Junior Jacklyn Zuege, who is battling an illness, has been red-hot at the plate since Bellarmine began ASUN play. Zuege, a transfer from Austin Peay, is hitting a blistering .367 (11-for-30) in 11 games (nine conference, two midweek). She has also recorded a team-best eight RBI in the span, adding three runs, six walks, two hit-by-pitch. Zuege also leads all qualified hitters (2 PA/G) in slugging (.400) and OBP (.500) during the stretch. Across the span, she has turned in four multi-hit games and three games with multiple RBI.

Austin Peay is off to a 28-6 start to its season and is 6-3 in Atlantic Sun play. With no midweek contest on the schedule for the Governors this week, they enter the weekend series after a 1-2 weekend at Central Arkansas, marking their first series loss of the season. APSU currently sits as the second-best team in the ASUN's Gold Division and own the fourth best record in the conference. In the first meeting between the Knights and Governors, Austin Peay left Louisville with three wins. Offensively, the Governors lead the ASUN in hitting (.333), hits (312), home runs (47), RBI (229), runs (245) OBP (.412) and SLG (.0562) and rank second in doubles with 55. Senior Kylie Campbell leads the potent offense hitting .411, owning team-highs in hits (44), triples (5), runs (34) and walks (16) while adding nine doubles (2^nd), five home runs (5^th) and 24 RBI (4^th). Sophomore Kiley Hinton leads the team with 12 doubles, hitting .379 with seven home runs, 26 RBI and 24 runs. Fellow sophomore Katie Raper is Austin Peay's top home run hitter with 10 on the year in addition to her .301 average, four doubles, 22 RBI and 24 runs. Senior Sam Leski drives in the most offense, leading the team with 37 RBI while ranking second with nine homers, adding three doubles and 18 runs to her .273 average. In total, Austin Peay has eight qualified players (2 PA/G) hitting over .300 on the season. In the circle, the Governors pitching staff works with a 3.41 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. Senior Samantha Miener leads with a 3.05 ERA, going 9-2 in 17 starts, 24 total appearances. She has tossed one complete game this season while being a part of four combined shutouts. Meiner has tossed 78.0 innings on the year and has recorded 34 strikeouts to 26 walks. Fellow senior Ashley Martin shares the team lead in wins with a 9-1 record, owning a 3.55 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 26 appearances with three starts. Martin has turned in one complete game and pitched in four combined shutouts in addition to recording six saves. Her six saves lead the ASUN and rank second in the NCAA (Ainsley Lambert, FAU, 7). Martin has worked 69.0 innings this year and tallied 57 strikeouts to 26 walks.

Bellarmine and Austin Peay have met 27 times prior to this weekend. Including the three-game series from earlier in the year, the Governors own an 15-12 advantage in the all-time series. The Knights are 1-8 against Austin Peay in the Division I era after going 11-7 from 1986-1993 in the Division II era.

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