Stephenville, TX – Junior right-handed pitcher Emberly Nichols went 2-0 in the circle, as the Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team earned a 7-3 win against Houston Christian and an 8-3 win over Akron on day two of Tarleton State’s Whataburger Invitational, Saturday, at the Tarleton State Softball Complex.
Game 1 – vs. Houston Christian
Austin Peay 7, Houston Christian 3
Kylie Campbell and Kiley Hinton tallied three hits in Austin Peay’s (5-3) 13-hit performance during a 7-3 win against Houston Christian (2-6).
The scoring started early for APSU and HCU, with a Campbell double in the top of the first driving in Raylon Roach, who led the game off by reaching on an error by the Huskies’ third baseman. The Huskies responded with an RBI triple from their second batter to tie the game, but starting pitcher Emma Thompson and the APSU defense stranded two in scoring position to hold the score at 1-1.
Following a scoreless, one-hit second inning by both teams, Austin Peay batted around the order in the third with Campbell sending one deep over the right-field wall for her second home run in as many days.
Brie Howard notched her first of two hits two batters later and was brought around following Sam Leski’s second home run of the season. An RBI double and single by Hinton and Roach, respectively, brought in the Govs’ final two runs of the third inning, extending the APSU advantage to 6-1.
The game’s next run came in the sixth inning, with Macee Roberts bringing Campbell home, who led off the frame with her second triple of 2025.
Back-to-back HCU RBI singles cut into the Govs’ lead in the bottom of the sixth, but Ashley Martin picked up a pair of strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work to help lead to the win.
Gov of Decision: Emberly Nichols (W, 3-2) – 2.1 IP, 3H, 0ER, 0R, 1K, 12BF
Game 2 – vs. Akron
Austin Peay 8, Akron 3
The Governors (6-3) started game two the same way they did the day’s opening contest, with Roach reaching base to lead off and Kylie driving her in – this time off her day’s second triple – to give Austin Peay a 1-0 lead with no outs against Akron (5-3).
Roberts was next to the place. The Indianapolis, Indiana native drove a ball into deep left field to bring in Campbell.
Sammie Shelander, Leski, Katie Raper, and Hinton recorded four-straight to extend the APSU advantage to 5-0 through just the first inning.
After a pair of Zips’ runs in the top of the second, Akron again cut into APSU’s lead with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth, but a 4-6-3 double play stranded two to halt the scoring.
A Kayleigh Roper double brought in Roberts for APSU’s seventh run, and Brie Howard – very, very, unsurprisingly – was hit by a pitch to bring in the day’s final run.
Gov of Decision: Emberly Nichols (W, 4-2) – 1.2 IP, 3H, 0ER, 0R, 0K, 9BF
Box Score Bullets
Austin Peay State University won its first-ever meeting against Houston Christian and improved to 3-1 all-time against Akron.
Kylie Campbell had her second-straight three-hit game against the Huskies, it was her 51st multi-hit game as a Gov, and the sixth three-hit game of her career.
Kiley Hinton’s three hits against the Huskies are a career and her third multi-hit performance of the season.
Sam Leski’s three hits against Akron marked her second three-hit performance both this season and in her career. Her two doubles also tied her career’s best mark, set initially last season while she was at Florida Gulf Coast.
Leski also homered in both of Saturday’s games. Her three four-baggers this season already are a career-high.
Through nine games, Austin Peay State University has hit 11 home runs, which already is 61% of the team’s 18 they hit in 2024.
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