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APSU Governors Baseball unable to hold off SIU Edwardsville Cougars in the ninth

Austin Peay Sports Information

Austin Peay State University Governors - APSUClarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s baseball team had SIU Edwardsville down to its final out, but could not shut the door, dropping a 9-8 Ohio Valley Conference decision, Sunday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.

Austin Peay honored (L to R) Zach Walton, Mark Hendrick, Zach Hall and A.J. Gaura on Senior Day, Sunday. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay honored (L to R) Zach Walton, Mark Hendrick, Zach Hall and A.J. Gaura on Senior Day, Sunday. (APSU Sports Information)

Austin Peay (24-25, 15-15 OVC) closes out its OVC schedule alone in sixth place.

However, the rest of the league’s squads will play their final three-game series during the upcoming week while the Govs travel to Evansville during their off week. With only a one-half game lead on seventh-place Jacksonville State, Austin Peay will be left scoreboard watching next weekend.

Reliever A.J. Gaura returned to the mound in the top of the ninth with Austin Peay holding an 8-6 lead. The Govs right-hander would induce a foul out to the catcher to start the inning only to then issue the team’s 11th walk to SIUE right fielder Dustin Woodcock. Gaura would get the inning’s second out by striking out the next batter.

APSU's A.J. GauraGaura then appeared to induce a game-ending ground out from center fielder Denton Reed, but the ball skipped under the glove of the Govs shortstop.

SIUE left fielder Nick Lombardo then hit a line drive at the APSU center fielder when things went badly awry for the Govs. The ball skipped past the Govs defender and to the wall, allowing the tying run to score. The relay throw was then mishandled and Lombardo scampered home with the go-ahead run. Austin Peay would escape without suffering further harm but trailed 9-8.

Austin Peay would get the leadoff hitter aboard in the bottom of the ninth, but SIUE reliever Brett Thomas worked around the free pass. He induced a strikeout, ground out and fly out to end the game – handing APSU its first loss when leading after eight innings this season.

APSU's Ridge SmithThe Govs began the game in a 4-0 hole after the top of the second inning. SIUE (18-26, 17-10 OVC) took advantage of three walks in the first inning, two pushing home runs, to score three times in the frame. The Cougars added a run in the second on a RBI ground out by designated hitter Keaton Wright.

Austin Peay stormed back with six runs in the next two innings. Third baseman Ridge Smith hit a RBI single that resulted in a second run scoring on an outfield error. In the third, second baseman Garrett Copeland hit a leadoff home run and catcher T.J. Marik added a two-run single then later scored on a passed ball to Give APSU a 6-4 lead it would nurse over the next five innings.

Gaura (1-2) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (one earned) in 2.1 innings, permitting three hits and two walks. Starter John Sparks allowed four runs on four hits and four walks in 1.2 innings.

First baseman Alex Robles led the Govs offense with a 4-for-5, two RBI, three-run scored outing that included a fifth-inning leadoff home run. Shortstop Clayton Smithson was 2-for-5 as the Govs finished with 12 hits.

APSU's Alex RoblesThomas (3-2) picked up the win after holding Austin Peay to one run on two hits and two walks over the final 2.1 innings. SIUE starter Ryan Daniels went three-plus innings and allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits and five walks.

Lombardo paced the Cougars offense with a 2-for-5, two RBI performance. Second baseman Chase Green and Reed each had three hits in SIUE’s nine-hit outing.

Austin Peay returns to action with a 6:00pm, Tuesday nonconference contest at Lipscomb.

Box Score

SIU Edwardsville (18-26 / 17-10) -vs- Austin Peay (24-25 / 15-15)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
SIU Edwardsville 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 9 9 2
Austin Peay 0 2 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 8 12 3

W: THOMAS, Brett (3-2)    L: GAURA, A.J. (1-2)

 

SIU Edwardsville 9

Player AB R H RBI BB SO LOB
lf LOMBARDO, Nick 5 3 2 2 0 0 1
2b GREEN, Chase 5 2 3 1 1 0 2
dh WRIGHT, Keaton 5 1 0 1 1 1 2
1b SAIKAL, Alec 2 0 0 1 3 0 0
c GUINN, Parker 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
ph/c JOHNSON, Drew 2 0 0 0 1 0 0
ss GEISSINGER, Skyler 4 0 1 1 1 0 3
rf WOODCOCK, Dustin 4 1 0 0 1 1 2
3b STEWART, Jacob 3 1 0 0 2 2 2
cf REED, Denton 5 1 3 0 0 1 0
p DANIELS, Ryan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
p MALACH, Zach 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
p THOMAS, Brett 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 35 9 9 7 11 5 12

 

Batting

2B:GREEN, Chase (1); REED, Denton (1)
HR:GREEN, Chase (1)
SF:GUINN, Parker (1)

Baserunning

SB:REED, Denton (1)
HBP:LOMBARDO, Nick (1)

Fielding

E:LOMBARDO, Nick (1); WOODCOCK, Dustin (1)

 

Austin Peay 8

Player AB R H RBI BB SO LOB
3b SMITH, Ridge 5 0 1 1 1 0 4
lf BREDLAU, Cayce 3 0 1 0 1 1 2
pr/lf MASSONI, Patrick 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
2b COPELAND, Garrett 4 1 1 1 1 2 0
rf/1b WILSON, Josh 4 0 0 0 0 0 1
1b/p ROBLES, Alex 5 3 4 2 0 0 1
dh GLEASON, Dre 2 1 1 0 1 1 0
pr PURCELL, Wesley 1 0 0 0 0 0 2
cf WILLIS, Imani 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cf/rf HAMILTON, Chase 3 1 0 0 2 0 0
c MARIK, T.J. 2 1 1 2 1 1 0
ph BLACKBURN, Kyle 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
ss SMITHSON, Clayton 5 0 2 0 0 1 1
p SPARKS, John 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
p POWELL, Caleb 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
p PRIMASING, Levi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
p GAURA, A.J. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 36 8 12 6 7 7 11

 

Batting

HR:COPELAND, Garrett (1); ROBLES, Alex (1)
SH:MARIK, T.J. (1)

Baserunning

CS:BREDLAU, Cayce (1); MASSONI, Patrick (1)
HBP:WILSON, Josh (1); GLEASON, Dre (1)
PO:BREDLAU, Cayce (1)

Fielding

E:HAMILTON, Chase (1); SMITHSON, Clayton (2)

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