APSU Governors Baseball take on nationally-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, Tuesday

Austin Peay Governors vs. Tennessee Vols

Tuesday, March 18th, 2014
Knoxville, TN | Lindsey Nelson Stadium

Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay’s baseball team (8-10, 2-1 OVC) begins a five-game road trip when it travels to the nationally-ranked Tennessee Volunteers (17-2, 2-1 SEC) for a 5:00pm (CT), Tuesday contest at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Austin Peay wrapped up an 11-game homestand by winning its Ohio Valley Conference-opening series against Eastern Illinois, 2-1. The Govs used a 30-run burst, its most over a three-game stretch, to secure the series win.

Tennessee returns home after concluding a seven-game road trip, concluding with a three-game Southeastern Conference-opening series win, 2-1, at Missouri. The Volunteers are unbeaten (12-0) at home this season.

Austin Peay Governors

After a 1-6 start to 2014, the Govs won 7 games during its recently completed 11-game homestand. Austin Peay entered that homestand with a season-low .193 batting average but finished it batting .261.

The Govs have not won a game away from Raymond C. Hand Park this season, losing 3 games at Baylor and a “home” game played in Columbia, Tennessee against Akron.

Two-way man Alex Robles (3B/P) ranks seventh among all OVC hitters and leads all freshmen with a .400 average, including a current 10-game hit streak. Right fielder Rolando Gautier moved into the leadoff spot, February 25th, against Eastern Michigan and has a hit in 10 of his 11 games (held hitless vs. Lipscomb).

Utility man Ridge Smith enters the midweek outing with 18 RBI, ninth-most among OVC hitters this season. Outfielder Cayce Bredlau broke out of his season-opening funk, going 4-for-7 with 4 walks (.727 OBP) and hitting his first-career home run during the Eastern Illinois series.

Infielder Garrett Copeland had 5 hits (.417 BA) and 3 walks in the EIU series. Infielder Kevin Corey had a career best 4 hits and 4 RBI in Game 2 of the EIU series.

Austin Peay has 56 extra-base hits this season and 36.6 percent of its hits have gone for extras, the highest such percentage among OVC teams. Eight freshmen have taken an at-bat this year and they have combined to hit .254 (96-for-378) and have 63 of the team’s 99 RBI.

The Govs defense has gotten off to a rough start with 48 errors this season (.933 fielding percentage), but posted its first errorless outing in the Eastern Illinois series finale, Saturday. Head coach Gary McClure is one of 28 active Division I coaches with 800 wins and he is APSU and the OVC’s all-time wins leader.

This season, Austin Peay was picked to finish 2nd in the OVC’s preseason poll behind Tennessee Tech. The Govs did not have a player selected to the preseason All-OVC squad; only senior catcher P.J. Torres returns after receiving All-OVC honors (2nd team) last season.

First Pitch

Junior transfer Caleb DeLee will get the nod for Tuesday’s start in Knoxville. It will be DeLee’s second start in 2014.

His first start was a no decision against Eastern Michigan, February 25th, as he allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5 in 4.1 innings.

DeLee also has 3 relief appearances this season, last appearing March 9th against Milwaukee where he threw 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out 2.

Probable Starting Pitchers

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