RICHMOND, Ky. – Cardiac Colonels!  The Eastern Kentucky University softball team secured 7-2 and 4-3 wins over long-time foe Austin Peay on Saturday afternoon at Gertrude Hood Field.
 
With the wins, EKU (31-5, 13-1 ASUN) passes the 30-win mark for the 12th time in program history and first time since 2021.  The wins also mark the Colonels' seventh consecutive Atlantic Sun Conference series victory dating back to the 2023 season.  

EKU becomes the 18th school and only one of nine mid-major programs in NCAA DI softball to win 30 games.  The Colonels are top five in the country in win/loss percentage (.861), only behind Oklahoma, Duke, and Boston University.
 
EKU's Maddi Rutan (18-2) captured two wins on the day, starting in game one and in relief for game two, tossing a combined 9.1 innings in the circle with 10 strikeouts.  The Columbus, Indiana native and two-way player also went 3-for-7 from the plate with a double, game-winning single, and three runs batted in.
 
Rutan was named the No. 5 two-way player in NCAA DI softball last week by Softball America.  She moves to 18-2 on the season with 112 strikeouts and a 1.13 earned run average.  Her 18 wins are the most in the ASUN Conference and her 112 strikeouts rests inside the top five of the league.
 
The Colonels totaled seven hits in each game on Saturday, Madison Scott led the effort with four hits on the day, including a perfect 3-for-3 showing in game two's 4-3 walk off victory.
 
EKU freshmen Makayla Mathis, Sharyn Duncan, and Reese Knox each gathered one hit on Saturday.  Duncan pinch hit in the bottom of the seventh in game two, sending a triple off the left field wall, setting up the game-tying run.
 
EKU and Austin Peay had not met inside ASUN Conference play, the last time the two met was in 2021 in the school's previous conference.  EKU defeated the Governors en-route to the program's third conference championship.  EKU extends its series advantage to a lopsided 66-19 all-time over APSU.
 
Game One:  EKU 7, Austin Peay 2
Rutan made her 13th start of the season in the series opener.  She struck out two batters in the top of the first, however, allowed three hits with one run.
 
EKU responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning off a Rutan single and Mathis deep grounder.
 
Rutan, who had four strikeouts in the circle in the first two innings, padded the Colonels' lead to 3-1 with a double to left, scoring Knox.
 
EKU never looked back, extending its lead to 6-1 off three hits and two walks in the bottom of the third. Jeanay Riley had two RBI's, pushing her ASUN-leading total to 36 on the season.  Riley leads the conference in RBI's, batting average, doubles, and total bases.
 
Despite a quiet next two innings, Maggie Pertee gave EKU a 7-1 lead with a towering solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.  The homer was her second of the season.
 
Rutan struck out one in the top of the seventh to secure win No. 17 on the season and a 7-2 final score for the Colonels.
 
Game Two:  EKU 4, Austin Peay 3 (8 inn.)
Tayteum Vigansky got the nod in game two, she went 5.2 innings allowing three runs off seven hits with one strikeout.
 
EKU led Austin Peay 2-1 until the sixth inning, when the Govs scored two runs off a double and single.  Rutan entered the game down 3-2, she totaled two strikeouts in the visitor 6th and 7th innings.
 
EKU went into the last half frame down one, Duncan was inserted for Mathis and sent a triple off the left field wall in the second pitch of her leadoff at-bat.  The Colonels next two batter went down on strikes, heroically saved by Scott who narrowly sent a single down the line to bring in the game-tying run, forcing the game into extra innings.
 
In extras, Rutan struck out the side in the top of the eighth, bringing her total to 10 K's on the day. 
 
Riley singled to center to open the home 8th, advancing to third off a Vianna Barron single to right center.  The game ended as Rutan sent a gap-shot to right center, securing a 4-3 win over EKU's long-time rival.
 
Next Up
EKU and Austin Peay wrap up the series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. EST back at Gertrude Hood Field.  The Colonels will be going for back-to-back sweeps and their fourth of the season.  Fans can purchase tickets here.