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HomeSportsAustin Peay State University Baseball plays UT Martin at home this weekend

Austin Peay State University Baseball plays UT Martin at home this weekend

Austin Peay State University

APSU Baseball - Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN – The final home weekend of Ohio Valley Conference play awaits Austin Peay State University’s baseball team when it hosts UT Martin in a three-game series at Raymond C. Hand Park.

The Govs and Skyhawks will begin the set with a 6:00pm, Friday contest followed by a special 6:00pm, Saturday meeting. The weekend will conclude with a 1:00pm, Sunday matchup.

Austin Peay Baseball hosts UT Martin Skyhakws for three game OVC series this weekend at Raymond C. Hand Park. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Baseball hosts UT Martin Skyhakws for three game OVC series this weekend at Raymond C. Hand Park. (APSU Sports Information)

The Governors remain alone in third place with 1½ games separating it from the team in front of it (Jacksonville State) while 2½ games separate it from the teams behind it (Morehead State and Belmont).

In addition, Austin Peay begins the weekend with a magic number of just three to qualify for the OVC Baseball Championship for the first time since 2013.

Austin Peay returns to action after a five-day break as it focused on finals week. The Govs last action saw them salvage the final game of an OVC series at Morehead State, Saturday, but only after they dropped both games of a Friday doubleheader. A series loss that snapped APSU’s five-series win streak.

However, a return home promises the opportunity to accomplish a rare feat in program history – winning all its home OVC series. In the 29 seasons since the OVC implemented three-game series (1987), the Govs have won all their home series just six times, most recently in 2011.

First Hacks

APSU Baseball's Garrett CopelandThe Govs are ranked among the nation’s Top 30 in slugging percentage (6th, .496), batting average (27th, .305), on-base percentage (35th, .393), doubles per game (4th, 2.40), home runs per game (11th, 1.19) and scoring (17th, 7.7 runs per game). Eight different Govs hitters have pieced together a reached-base safely streak of 10 or more games at some point this season.

Junior second baseman Garrett Copeland saw a 22-game reached-base safely streak snapped in the Morehead State series opener, but went 2-for-9 with a double and triple in the series’ final two games. Junior first baseman Dre Gleason has six hits (.353 BA), two doubles, a home run and four RBI in his last five games.

APSU Baseball's Clayton SmithsonSenior shortstop Clayton Smithson appears to be slowly returning to his early season ways at the plate, with five hits, including three doubles, in his last 12 at-bats (.417 batting average). Junior Ridge Smith started a third base and catcher against Morehead State and reached base six times in 13 plate appearances (2 H, 3 BB, 1 HBP) while striking out just twice.

Junior Alex Robles moved into the third base starting spot for the MSU finale (his fourth start at third this season) but was held to 3-for-12 at the plate during the series. Senior center fielder Patrick Massoni has batted .357 (10-for-28) with four walks (.455 OBP) in eight games since April 19th.

Junior left fielder Logan Gray has a hit in 11 of the 13 games since his return to the starting lineup, April 10th; he is batting .404 with six home runs and 19 RBI. Behind the plate, freshman Alex Sala has started 15 of the last 18 games and will look to bounce back after a hitless weekend at Morehead State.

For the first time since 1988 a new face is guiding the Governors with first-year head coach Travis Janssen coming to Austin Peay after four seasons at Division II Northeastern State (Oklahoma). Austin Peay has won 17 of its last 24 after starting the season with a 9-9 mark. APSU owns a 17-4 record, including an 11-1 mark in OVC play, at Raymond C. Hand Park this season.

Toeing the Rubber

APSU Baseball's Alex RoblesJunior right-hander Alex Robles will look to get May off to a hot start in the friendly confines where he is 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA this season. His win against Eastern Kentucky was his career-best seventh this season (6 wins in both ’14 and ’15).

Sophomore left-hander Michael Costanzo has been red hot at Raymond C. Hand Park this season, posting a 6-0 record and 2.48 ERA in six home starts. Costanzo has battled early in his last five starts, going no further than the fifth inning in those outings.

Junior right-hander Caleb Powell will look to build on his longest OVC start of the season – six innings in a win at Morehead State. Powell has back-to-back wins (defeated EKU at home, April 24th) for the first time since moving into the No. 3 weekend spot.

About the UT Martin Skyhawks

UT Martin SkyhawksUT Martin (15-27, 6-15 OVC) won its second OVC series of the season, 2-1, last weekend against SIU Edwardsville. It continued a stretch that has seen the Skyhawks win seven of their last 11 games (since April 12). UTM’s offense has led the charge during the hot streak, with double-digit hits in eight of the 11 games while batting .327 and averaging 7.6 runs per game.

Senior designated hitter Austin Taylor has 13 hits (.406 BA) during his current eight-game hit streak and leads UTM with 12 doubles and six home runs this season. Junior outfielder Fletcher Johnson leads the Skyhawks with a .333 batting average, including three triples this season.

Senior pitcher Patrick Bernard moved into UTM’s weekend rotation April 10th against Eastern Kentucky and is 1-1 with a 4.88 ERA in his four starts since the move. Freshman hurler Dom Bazzani has started every weekend during the season; his 7.2-inning outing against SIUE last weekend was his second-longest this season.

Broadcast Information

Digital Audio: Audio for all baseball contests available free online at www.LetsGoPeay.com/listen
Live Statistics: www.PeayStats.com
Twitter: @AustinPeayBSB

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