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Austin Peay State University Baseball opens NCAA Tournament against Florida Gators at Indiana Regional

Austin Peay State University Governors SportsClarksville, TN — Ranked in the top 25 in Baseball America (#21) and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (#25) polls, Austin Peay State University’s baseball team will take on Florida in the opening round of the 2013 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Tournament.

APSU Baseball. (Michael Rios - Clarksville Sports Network)
APSU Baseball. (Michael Rios – Clarksville Sports Network)

The Govs (45-13), the second-seed in the Bloomington Regional, and the third-seeded Gators (29-28) open play May 31st, noon (CDT), at Bart Kaufman Field on the campus of the University of Indiana.

The second-seeding in the regional for Austin Peay is the highest for any Ohio Valley Conference team under the current NCAA format.

Florida will be the third team from the Southeastern Conference Austin Peay has played this season, going 0-2 in matchups versus Mississippi State University and University of Kentucky during the 2013 regular season.

It is the third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament for Austin Peay – who earned the automatic bid to the tournament by winning the OVC Tournament — and the sixth time overall for the Governors, while Florida will be making its 29th appearance in the tournament.

The three straight tournament championships for Austin Peay is the first since Middle Tennessee State University accomplished the feat over the 1900-92 seasons.

It is only the second time in OVC history (Eastern Kentucky University, 1984-86) a team has appeared in three consecutive NCAA Tournaments.

Host Indiana (43-14) and Valparaiso University (31-26) are the other two teams at the regional and will play May 31st at 6:00pm.

Junior lefthander Zach Hall (8-2, 4.68 ERA) will get the start for Austin Peay, who enter the regional having set the school record with 45 wins, while also riding the nation’s current longest win streak – now at 15 straight wins.

The Govs are also just two wins away from tying the OVC all-time win mark of 47, by former conference member Western Kentucky University (47-13-1) back during the 1980 season.

Austin Peay will be facing junior right hander Jonathan Crawford (3-6, 4.03 ERA), who was a teammate of current Governor Jordan Hankins on the 2012 USA College National Team.

All games will be streamed on TV on ESPN3, with Life stats on www.NCAA.com.

Fans can also hear the game on the radio on the Governors Sports Network or online with audio at www.LetsGoPeay.com.

You can also follow on Twitter @APSUBaseball.

The Bloomington Regional will run through June 3rd.

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