Austin Peay softball looks forward to second chapter of season after 22-3 start

CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Austin Peay has had one of the best softball programs to start the 2025 season. They currently sit with a record of 22-3, while leading the ASUN in offensive categories such as batting average, runs, doubles and even home runs.

Head softball coach Kassie Stanfill said the Governors aren’t focused on counting wins, even with a 19-game winning streak. Rather, they are focusing on each other. “Our student-athletes do a really good job of loving on one another and having each other’s backs,” Stanfill told Clarksville Now. “For us, that’s really been the game changer for this unit that we have. The new blood that we have has come in, our culture has shifted quite a bit to where they truly care for one another.

“Being able to watch them celebrate each other’s success, and love on one another through the highs and lows, it’s been a beautiful thing for the whole coaching staff,” Stanfill said.

She said her message to the team with conference play beginning Thursday, the second chapter of the season begins. “Everybody is 0-0. We need to make sure to come out and come out strong. We take a lot of pride in making sure every game, no matter what, we’re protecting the name on the front of our jerseys, and we’re always going to respect the name on the other,” Stanfill said.

APSU’s explosive offense

In addition to leading their conference in batting average, runs, doubles and home runs, Austin Peay also leads in categories such as hits, total bases, runs batted in, slugging percentage, as well as on-base percentage, according to the ASUN conference.

With their production at an all-time high as a team, Austin Peay has also struck out the second fewest times in the ASUN conference this season.

Stanfill said she first wanted to give credit to her hitting coaches Danielle Liermann and Vanessa Miller. “They have spent a lot of time bettering themselves as coaches. They work really hard to make sure the plans they are coming up with help our student-athletes and their development,” Stanfill said.

“When it comes to the student athletes, they’ve just bought into what we do day in and day out. We’ve always talked about being an offensive team here at Austin Peay. We’ve never been that as a whole. I truly feel like this offense, 1 through even 12 with pitch hitters, is pretty sound offensively. When someone has our number for a period of time, we’re able to make those adjustments. The biggest thing for us is working pitch-by-pitch.”

Stanfill said her team has been sound defensively this year as well, which has kept them in a lot of ball games.

“Offensively, that’s the side that is going to score the runs, but we work really hard defensively,” Stanfill said. “They come out knowing we’re going to be the hardest working team on all sides of the game. Defensively, they’re keeping us in the ball game, making the big catches when we need to make them and really, just playing loose even if the opposing team has bases loaded or even bases loaded no outs.

“We’ve never really stressed. That’s the most beautiful thing when I think of team 40. We’re loose and relaxed. Pitching wise, they’ve bought into pitching by committee. All four pitchers are working every game, ready to go, all hands-on deck. They do a great job of having each other’s backs,” she said.

‘We wanted to be a championship team from day one’

Stanfill said every year her team is talking about winning championships, which includes being competitive in the ASUN, finding a way into the tournament, and then it’s fair game.

“Winning in the tournament and going to regionals is always the big goal,” she said. “For this team, I think those expectations have never changed, they’ve never wavered, they have talked it since day one. We wanted to be a championship team from day one. We don’t focus on it. Again, this group is really good about working one day at a time and pitch-by-pitch. But the expectations have remained the same as far as winning championships and being the best Austin Peay softball team that has ever come through.”

Stanfill does believe her team can continue to improve throughout the 2025 season, however. She said she wants to see her student-athletes continue to make adjustments at the plate. And if they are being selective in the batters box, they need to make adjustments even sooner.

Stanfill also said the team has to account for how team’s will scout their roster and what their plan of attack will be. As for her message to the community, she said she would love to see Cathi Maynard Park packed every series that they have for the rest of the year.

“We’ve been fortunate enough our last two home weekends, we’ve had great crowds,” Stanfill said. “So, we’re really hoping to have the crew come in and support us. Our student-athletes are a lot of fun to watch, and people will have a blast.

“Bring your kids, bring friends, let’s make the environment what the student-athletes deserve, and we can’t do that without the Clarksville community. We really want to embody Clarksville’s hometown team, so the weekends that we’re here, if it’s sunny and 70 or even maybe a little bit colder, come out and support us and have a good time at Cathi Maynard Park.”

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