Austin Peay State University’s baseball team wrapped up its 2010 schedule with an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader sweep of UT Martin, Saturday. The Govs won the opener 9-3 before holding on to win the season finale, 11-9.
Austin Peay (27-25, 8-13 OVC) used a six-run third inning to break open the day’s first game. Ten Govs batters came to the plate and the first six batters reached base safely. Designated hitter Matt Kole, first baseman John Hogan, catcher Trey Lucas and third baseman Shayne Martin each batted in a run with shortstop Reed Harper closing the rally with a two-run double.
The Govs added runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Browett’s leadoff home run was the only scoring in the fourth and his RBI double in the fifth scored second baseman Jon Clinard with that inning’s only run.
UT Martin (24-31, 8-16) scored first on shortstop Cody Terry’s solo home run in the first, but did not get a man in scoring position again until the fifth inning against Austin Peay starter Ricky Marshall. The Skyhawks scored a run in the fifth courtesy third baseman Trey Carlen’s triple and added a run in the seventh on catcher Ty Nelson’s RBI single.
Marshall (7-6) wrapped up his career with a complete-game victory, his third this season. He allowed three runs on six hits over seven innings, striking out four.
UTM starter Dan Tobik (3-2) was unable to escape the Govs big third inning, allowing six runs on four hits and five walks over two-plus innings.
The Skyhawks struck first in the day’s second game, right fielder Jared Owen’s solo home run in the second inning giving UTM a 1-0 lead.
Austin Peay responded in the third, plating four runs – three scoring on catcher Trey Lucas’ home run to deep center field – to take a 4-1 lead.
The Govs added a run in the fourth and three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to build an 11-2 lead. Lucas added a solo home run in the fifth and Clinard’s two-run double were the fifth inning’s tallies. Pinch hitter Michael Blanchard and centerfielder Jared DeLong each had run-scoring triples in the sixth inning.
However, the Skyhawks had one last gasp left, scoring seven runs in the seventh inning. Owen capped the scoring with a three-run home run and he set the UTM single-season record with 18 home runs.
APSU starter Eric Davis (4-2) allowed two runs on four hits over five innings to pick up the win.
UTM’s Dan Flaniken(3-4) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs on 10 hits over 4.1 innings.
Offensively, Browett led the Govs with six hits in the doubleheader, including five doubles and a home run. He recorded six consecutive hits before flying out to center field in the sixth inning of the second game.
Lucas finished the doubleheader with two hits and five RBI. Clinard, Harper and DeLong also had two RBI each.
Owen led the Skyhawks offensive effort with home runs in both games – his only two hits of the day – and four RBI. Drew Mason and Trey Karlen each added three hits.
Austin Peay’s three-game sweep of UT Martin pushed the Govs into a seventh-place finish in the final OVC regular-season standings, just one game behind sixth-place Eastern Kentucky (9-12 OVC) for the final spot in the upcoming OVC Baseball Tournament.
