APSU Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s baseball team ran into a hot-hitting Connecticut squad and had few answers in a 19-4 nonconference loss, Saturday night, in the Riverview Inn Governors Challenge at Raymond C. Hand Park.
UConn scratched out single runs in the second and third, extending their lead to 5-0. The Huskies started the fourth inning with a triple before Robles hit the second batter of the inning. It would end his roughest outing since his first start as a Governor in 2014.
After he departed the Govs turned to their bullpen and used five pitchers to try and quell the Connecticut offense. They had little success as UConn generated two runs in that fourth inning and added a run in the sixth. APSU reliever Ricky Heagarty held Connecticut scoreless in the sixth but it was a brief lull in the UConn attack. Three Austin Peay pitchers saw time in a seven-run seventh that put the result to rest.
Austin Peay (4-2) was stymied by Connecticut starter William Montgomerie through three innings, with only leadoff hitter Garrett Copeland breaking through with singles in the first and third innings. The Govs finally pieced together hits in the fourth when left fielder Cayce Bredlau reached on a bunt single and scored on first baseman Dre Gleason‘s double.
That duo combined again in the sixth, with Bredlau starting the inning with a double and Gleason driving him in with a single. Pinch hitter Chase Hamilton would deliver a jolt of excitement in the eighth with a two-run home run to right center, but he was the last Govs hitter to reach base.
Robles (1-1) went three-plus innings but surrendered seven runs on 10 hits while striking out one batter of the 20 he faced. It was the most runs he had surrendered since his first career start.
Copeland went 3-for-5 to pace the Govs offense. Bredlau and Gleason each went 2-for-3, Gleason ending with two RBI.
Montgomerie (1-0) picked up the win for Connecticut after striking out 10 in six innings. He held the Govs to two runs on seven hits and did not walk a batter.
Third baseman Willy Yahn and designated hitter Tyler Gnesda each had four hits as UConn finished with 21 hits. Gnesda and DeRoche-Duffin also had four RBI each.
Austin Peay closes out its seven-game season-opening homestand when it faces No. 12 Missouri State in a 3:30pm, Sunday contest that will wrap up the Riverview Inn Governors Challenge.
