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HomeSportsAPSU Baseball rolls to 15-8 win over Indiana State

APSU Baseball rolls to 15-8 win over Indiana State

APSU Sports Information

APSU BaseballClarksville, TN – Designated hitter Parker Phillips hit a grand slam to punctuate a seven-run second inning as Austin Peay State University’s baseball team posted a 15-8 series-opening victory against Indiana State, Friday, at Raymond C. Hand Park.

Austin Peay Baseball gets win over Indiana State at Raymond C. Hand Park, Friday. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Baseball gets win over Indiana State at Raymond C. Hand Park, Friday. (APSU Sports Information)

Austin Peay (7-2) sent 10 men to the plate in the second frame, opening with first baseman Andrew Flaherty‘s double.

Third baseman Malcolm Tipler drove in a run with a single before second baseman Garrett Giovannelli (walk) and right fielder Nick Walker (hit by pitch) each reached base with the bases loaded to drive in a run. Phillips followed with his grand slam to put a period on the seven-run outburst.

The outburst provided all the support Governors starting pitcher Michael Costanzo (2-0) would need. After allowing a double in a two-run first inning, the senior lefty would not allow another hit until the sixth inning en route to the win. Costanzo would finish with a career-high tying seven innings, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out eight.

The Governors offense would tack on two runs in the fourth when Giovannelli would lift a home run to left field to secure the victory. A four-run sixth was paced by pinch hitter Aaron Campbell‘s two-run single and extended the lead to 13-2.

Indiana State (5-4) would rally for five runs, courtesy four run-scoring doubles, in the ninth to tighten the score. Second baseman Jarrod Watkins capped the rally with a RBI single to finish the day 2-for-4 with a RBI.

Sycamores starter Tristan Weaver (1-1) was tagged for nine runs on six hits and four walks to suffer his season’s first loss.

Phillips ended the day 1-for-5 and four RBI while Giovannelli chipped in a 2-for-4 with another four RBI.

Who Governed: Michael Costanzo

Costanzo tied his career high with a seven-inning outing, a mark he’s reached four times in his career. After allowing a double in the first inning he would allow just one baserunner – via an infield error – over the next 17 batters he faced until allowing a one-out single in the sixth.

Costanzo struck out eight of the 25 batters he faced, his second-straight week with eight strikeouts. He scattered two hits in his start, his fewest allowed in a start since his February 26th, 2016 outing against Alcorn State.

Govs Notably

Grand Slam Talk
Parker Phillips‘ second-inning grand slam was the Govs second in 2018, the same total they had in their record-breaking 84-home run 2017 campaign. Coincidentally, one of those two grand slams came off Phillips’ bat – which also was his last home run before Friday’s slam.

Keep On Walking
Austin Peay’s batters continue to rack up walks at a prodigious rate, earning eight walks against Indiana State pitching. It is the fourth time the Govs have worked eight or more walks in a game and they have earned five or more walks in every game this season.

Double-Digit Ks
Led by Costanzo’s eight-strikeout performance, Governors pitchers struck out 11 Sycamores in Friday’s contest. It is Austin Peay’s fifth double-digit strikeout performance in the season’s first nine games.

Unblemished Weekends
Friday’s win kept the Govs unbeaten in weekend play, improving to 7-0 on games played Friday-Sunday.

Up Next for APSU Baseball

Austin Peay and Indiana State continue their three-game series with a 1:00pm, Saturday contest at Raymond C. Hand Park. The Governors will send lefty Jacques Pucheu (1-0) to the mound while the Sycamores will counter with left-hander Triston Polley (2-0).

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