APSU Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – Week 2 of the 2019 season will see the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team will participate in the 2019 Mule Mix Classic, Thursday-Sunday, with games each day on Joe and Cathi Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Currently, the weekend slate is scheduled to begin at 3:00pm, Thursday against Bradley followed by a 3:00pm, Friday contest against Western Michigan.
The Govs would then host Toledo in a 1:00pm, Saturday affair before wrapping up the weekend with a 1:00pm, Sunday contest against Northern Illinois.
However, inclement weather is forecast Thursday-Saturday and the schedule is likely to change. Schedule updates will be available on Austin Peay’s official athletics website – LetsGoPeay.com.
The Governors will look to rebound after a rough season-opening series against Kentucky. Austin Peay showed glimpses of what could be ahead in 2019 as the offense twice took leads against the Wildcats. The Govs starting rotation also showed signs of strength with each of the three starters making it into the fifth inning.
This weekend’s event will give the Govs plenty of opportunity to find improvement with Bradley and Toledo each bringing in 2-1 marks while Western Michigan and Northern Illinois will each be seeking their season’s first win.
First Hacks
Freshman center fielder Garrett Spain led the Govs against Kentucky with a hit and RBI in all three games, finishing the set batting .400 with four RBI.
Junior third baseman Malcolm Tipler saw each of his three hits go for extra bases against Kentucky, hitting two doubles and a triple while adding two RBI.
Redshirt junior utility man Parker Phillips was intentionally walked three times and had two hits in the Kentucky series and played right field, catcher and first base.
Senior outfielder Aaron Campbell had a hit in each of his first two at-bats of 2019, coming off the bench in Game 2 against Kentucky to go 2-for-2 with three RBI.
Junior outfielder Andrew Flaherty notched the Govs first home run of 2019, a fifth-inning leadoff shot in Game 2 of the series.
Freshman utility man Gino Avros got the opening-day start at designated hitter, saw action in all three games against Kentucky and notched his first collegiate hit in Game 3.
Sophomore John McDonald was the opening day starter at first base and posted his season’s first hit in Game 2 of the set, but suffered an upper-body injury and is day-to-day.
Sophomore Bobby Head started all three games against Kentucky at shortstop but was held without a hit. Defensively, he recorded eight assists in Game 2 of the series, one shy of the APSU single-game record.
Sophomore transfer Griffin Rivers walked in each of his first two plate appearances in 2019 but was held without a hit.
The Govs used three different starters at designated hitter over the weekend: Avros, Flaherty and senior Brett Newberg.
Austin Peay has hit 50 or more home runs in six of the last seven seasons and 60-plus home runs each of the past three seasons.
Toeing The Rubber
Senior Brandon Vial is penciled in to start the four-day weekend and would make his first start of 2019. He appeared briefly in the season-opener against Kentucky, striking out one of the two batters he faced.
Senior Jacques Pucheu, the Preseason OVC Pitcher of the Year, provided a quality start in his 2019 debut. He held Kentucky to two runs while taking his 75-pitch limit through six innings.
Making his first start for the Govs since the 2017 season, senior Brett Newberg tossed four scoreless frames around an inning that got away from him. He allowed only one hit outside of the five-hit third inning.
Senior lefty Josh Rye tied his career high with seven strikeouts in his 2019 debut against Kentucky, Sunday, reaching the mark while facing 23 Wildcats.
The Govs weekend rotation combined for 16.2 innings pitched against Kentucky with each of the three starters making it into the fifth inning despite a 75-pitch limit.
Series History
Bradley
APSU and BU have 17 previous meetings in their series, the last a three-game set played to open the 2016 season. The Govs won that series, 2-1, but Bradley owns a 9-8 advantage in the series all time.
Western Michigan
Austin Peay last met the Broncos in 2015 and lost a three-game set, 2-1. However, the Govs own a 4-2 lead in the all-time series.
Toledo
The Govs and Rockets will meet for a second consecutive year after the two teams met in Week 2 of the 2018 campaign. Austin Peay swept that three-game series, the only time the two teams have met.
Northern Illinois
Austin Peay last saw the Huskies during the 2016 season and won a 14-1 decision that also gave it a 4-3 lead in the all-time series.
