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Austin Peay State University Baseball plays doubleheader against Evansville Purple Aces at Raymond C. Hand Park Wednesday

Evansville vs. Austin Peay Governors

Wednesday, March 26th, 2014
Clarksville, TN | Raymond C. Hand Park

Austin Peay State University Governors Sports - APSUClarksville, TN – Austin Peay’s baseball team(9-13, 3-3 OVC)  returns to action when it plays a doubleheader against Evansville (12-7, 2-1 MVC), beginning at 4:00pm, Wednesday at Raymond C. Hand Park.

Austin Peay Pitcher Ryan Quick will start Wednesday's doubleheader against Evansville. (Brittney Sparn/APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Pitcher Ryan Quick will start Wednesday’s doubleheader against Evansville. (Brittney Sparn/APSU Sports Information)

The teams will play two seven-inning contests as part of the twinbill.

The Govs enter the midweek affair after dropping two of three in an Ohio Valley Conference series at Jacksonville State, last weekend. The Purple Aces opened Missouri Valley Conference play by winning two of three against Indiana State and have won six of their last eight overall.

The two teams have played annually since 1984 with Evansville holding a 38-22-2 edge in the all-time series. Austin Peay won both games of last season’s doubleheader, played in Clarksville, but has just three wins in the last 11 meetings between the two teams.

Austin Peay Governors

Alex RoblesThe Govs are 8-6 at Raymond C. Hand Park this season and have won their last two home outings. APSU is just 1-7 away from the friendly confines in 2014.

Two-way man Alex Robles (3B/P) ranks sixth among all OVC hitters and leads all freshmen with a .386 average; he has a 2-1 record and 3.82 ERA on the mound.

Right fielder Rolando Gautier moved into the leadoff spot, February 25th, against Eastern Michigan and has a hit in 14 of his 15 games (held hitless vs. Lipscomb) in that spot.

Ridge SmithUtility man Ridge Smith enters the midweek outing with 19 RBI, 13th-most among OVC hitters and third among freshmen this season; he also has reached base safely in 15 consecutive games. Outfielder Cayce Bredlau has broken out of his season-opening funk, with a hit in 8 of his last 9 outings (11-for-28, .393)

Infielder Kevin Corey is batting .480 (12-for-25) during a stretch that has seen him start 7 of the Govs last 8 games and he has a 10-game hit streak.

Austin Peay has 66 extra-base hits this season and 35.7 percent of its hits have gone for extras, the highest such percentage among OVC teams. Eight freshmen have taken an at-bat this year and they have combined to hit .245 (115-for-469) and have 75 of the team’s 117 RBI.

The Govs defense has battled inconsistency with 52 errors this season (.940 fielding percentage), but has committed just 8 errors in its last 7 games (.971 fielding percentage). Head coach Gary McClure is one of 28 active Division I coaches with 800 wins and he is APSU and the OVC’s all-time wins leader.

This season, Austin Peay was picked to finish 2nd in the OVC’s preseason poll behind Tennessee Tech.The Govs did not have a player selected to the preseason All-OVC squad; only senior catcher P.J. Torres returns after receiving All-OVC honors (2nd team) last season.

First Pitch

Ryan QuickRight-hander Ryan Quick will get the nod for Wednesday’s opener.It will be his sixth start in 2014, but first midweek start. He is 1-2 in his 5 previous starts, with one relief appearance against Lipscomb rounding out his 6 appearances this season.

Right-hander Mark Hendrick will make his season’s second start in the nightcap against Evansville.His previous start was a March 11th outing against Lipscomb where he allowed 2 runs on 4 hits in 2 innings.He has made four appearances total this season, none lasting more than 2 innings.

Probable Starting Pitchers

Date Austin Peay Starter
vs. Opponent’s Starter
WED.
4:00pm
RHP Ryan Quick (Sr., 1-2, 7.36 ERA)
RHP Matt Rodgers (Jr., 3-0, 2.60 ERA)
WED.
GM 2
RHP Mark Hendrick (Jr., 0-0, 3.60 ERA)
RHP Jimmy Ward (Fr., 0-2, 10.38 ERA)

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