Austin Peay Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s baseball team split a nonconference doubleheader with Eastern Michigan, winning the opener 8-3 before dropping the nightcap 9-8, Tuesday at Raymond C. Hand Park.
He received plenty of help as the Govs offense scored eight unanswered runs to build an 8-1 lead and hung on for the 8-3 victory.
Right fielder Rolando Gautier’s two-run double in the second inning gave the Govs the lead for good and he finished the opener 2-for-5 with two RBI at the plate.
Left fielder Ridge Smith added an RBI double in the third and an RBI single in the fourth and was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Center fielder Chase Hamilton added a RBI single in the fifth to end the APSU scoring and was 1-for-3 with a RBI.
Eastern Michigan’s Paul Schaak (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on six hits while striking out seven in 3.2 innings.
The Eagles were done in by four innings that resulted in four unearned runs in the contest. Shorstop John Rubino paced the offense with a 3-for-5 outing.
The tables turned in the nightcap as four Austin Peay errors helped Eastern Michigan scored six unanswered runs and a 9-5 lead. The Govs nearly rallied back but left the tying run stranded at third in the eighth in the 9-8 loss.
Eastern Michigan (4-4) took the lead for good in the seventh inning on catcher Adam Sonabend’s RBI single.
The Eagles added to their lead when an Austin Peay infield error allowed another run to score while extending the inning. The Govs escaped further damage when reliever Jared Carkuff induced a ground out to end the frame.
The Eagles extended their advantage in the eighth thanks to a pair of hit batters and an Austin Peay error.
The second hit batsmen came with the bases loaded and pushed across a run. Left fielder Adam Dennison followed with a two-run single, but the Govs caught a break when that threw out a runner at second on the play.
Nick Rotola, pinch running for Dennison, was caught stealing to end the threat with EMU leading 9-4.
Austin Peay took advantage of a sloppy eighth inning to nearly tie the game.
The Govs loaded the bases with a single followed by a pair of walks sandwiched around a strikeout. A passed ball allowed a run before right fielder Rolando Gautier singled up the middle to drive in a second run.
Second baseman Garrett Copeland then pushed home a run with a bunt single, narrowing the deficit to two runs.
Eastern Michigan got the second out of the inning when reliever Kristian Calibuso struck out Alex Robles.
The Eagles then turned to Charlie Land to end the threat but he immediately uncorked a pair of wild pitches, the latter allowing Gautier to score and Copeland to advance to third.
However, Land struck out Ridge Smith to end the threat and secure the win.
Devon Bronson (1-1) picked up the win for Eastern Michigan despite allowing two runs in 1.1 innings of relief. Land earned his first save after holding the Govs without a run in the final 1.1 innings.
APSU’s Jared Carkuff (0-1) was tagged for the loss after allowing two runs on three this in 1.1 innings.
Smith led the Govs offense with a 2-for-5, two RBI outing. The Govs top four hitters – Gautier, Copeland, Robles and Smith – combined six of the team’s nine hits and all five of its RBI.
EMU second baseman John Rubino led Eastern Michigan with a 2-for-4, two RBI outing from the leadoff spot.
Austin Peay returns to action when it hosts the 2014 Riverview Inn Classic, beginning Friday. Austin Peay will face Dayton in a 3:30pm contest that will follow the Bradley-Xavier tournament opener at 11:00am, Friday.
