APSU Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s baseball starting pitcher Caleb Powell pieced together a sterling start to lead the Governors to an 8-4 Ohio Valley Conference victory against Jacksonville State, Friday night, at Raymond C. Hand Park.
After a six-hour delay to the start of the contest, Powell (2-0) needed a moment to find his stride, issuing a walk and a single to start the contest.
But that was the only opening Powell allowed Jacksonville State, those two fly outs were the first in a stretch of 19 consecutive batters retired by the senior right hander, a stretch that carried him into the seventh inning.
He would surrendered a one-out single in the seventh to end the stretch, but worked around that hit and a double later in the frame to close the inning.
Meanwhile, Austin Peay (7-6, 1-0 OVC) took little time to jump ahead on the scoreboard with two runs in both the first and second innings. First baseman Dre Gleason‘s two-run double in the first put the Govs ahead for good. In the second, designated hitter Cayce Bredlau and second baseman Garrett Giovannelli each posted RBI, extending the Govs lead to 4-1.
The Govs extended their lead with two runs in the fourth and another two runs in the seventh. Giovannelli and left fielder Alex Robles each had run-scoring hits in the fourth. Then center fielder Chase Hamilton punctuated the night with a two-run home run to right field – his 25th career home run – giving APSU an 8-1 lead.
After Powell exited, the Govs bullpen surrendered three runs in the final two innings. JSU designated hitter Trent Simpson drove in two with a single in the eighth. Left fielder Payton Young drove in the game’s final run with a ball that eluded an APSU fielder in the ninth.
Powell picked up his season’s second win after holding the Gamecocks to one run on three hits and a walk over seven innings. He would rack up a season-high five strikeouts in the Govs first quality start of 2017.
Giovannelli’s 3-for-5, two RBI outing paced the Govs offense, which notched 13 hits. Gleason, Hamilton and Robles had two hits each.
Gamecocks starter Derrick Adams (1-2) suffered the loss after allowing six runs on 11 hits and two walks over six innings. Simpson finished the night 2-for-3 with two RBI to pace the JSU offense.
Who Governed
Powell notched the Govs first quality start of 2017, allowing just one run over seven innings. After allowing the first two batters of the game to reach base, he locked in and retired the next 19 batters he faced. That streak would carry him all the way into the seventh inning when he worked around a single and double thanks to three ground outs in the frame.
Notably
Powell First Weekend Starter With Two Wins
Powell became the first Govs weekend starter to post two victories in 2017 and has not lost in his four starts this season. However, he is the second Govs pitcher with two wins, joining midweek starter Josh Rye.
Hamilton Launches No. 25
On a cold and blustery night, right fielder Chase Hamilton still found a way to leave The Hand. His two-run home run in the sixth was his 25th career home run – becoming the 13th Govs hitter to reach that plateau. It was his sixth home run of 2017 and the first that was not a solo home run.
Gleason Adds To RBI Total
First baseman Dre Gleason‘s two-run double in the first inning put the Govs ahead for good. It also supplied his 19th and 20th RBI in the young season.
Winning The Opener
It is the third straight season Austin Peay has won its OVC opener. The Govs are 7-1 in OVC openers since 2010
Next up for APSU Baseball
Austin Peay and Jacksonville State will resume the three-game OVC series with a 1:00pm, Saturday contest at Raymond C. Hand Park.
