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APSU Baseball’s Dre Gleason, Ridge Smith hit grand slams to give Govs win over SIU Edwardsville

APSU Sports Information

APSU Baseball - Austin Peay State UniversityEdwardsville, IL – First baseman Dre Gleason and third baseman Ridge Smith each hit grand slams to lead Austin Peay State University’s baseball team to a 14-3 Ohio Valley Conference victory against SIU Edwardsville, Friday night at the Simmons Baseball Complex.

Austin Peay (29-18, 19-9 OVC) saw its lead trimmed to 4-3 after SIUE scored a pair of runs in the sixth inning.

Austin Peay Baseball gets 14-3 win over SIU Edwardsville Friday night. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Baseball gets 14-3 win over SIU Edwardsville Friday night. (APSU Sports Information)

The Govs would respond in the seventh when three successive batters reached base – two on singles and one on an error.

Gleason came to the plate and worked to a full count before hitting a third 3-2 pitch well over the wall in right field for his second grand slam this season and a 8-3 APSU lead.

The Governors extended their lead in the eighth as the SIUE bullpen struggled to find the strike zone. Three of APSU’s first four hitters in the inning walked to load the bases. Smith stepped up to the plate and drilled a 2-2 pitch out to straight-away center field for the Govs second grand slam of the inning and a 12-3 advantage.

APSU Baseball's Dre GleasonTwo batters later, shortstop Clayton Smithson set the final score with his two-run home run, his second home run of the game. It wrapped up a five-home run day for Austin Peay’s offense, the five round-trippers accounting for 12 of its 14 runs.

The home run barrage helped APSU starting pitcher Alex Robles (9-4) pick up the win and tie the team’s career OVC wins mark held by Rowdy Hardy (18, 2994-06). It was his ninth quality start this season, limiting SIUE to three runs (two earned) on five hits over six innings. Robles struck out seven of the 27 batters he faced.

APSU Baseball's Ridge SmithAustin Peay’s offense finished with 18 hits, each of the nine starters posting a hit. Smith led the way with a 3-for-4, four RBI outing. Center fielder Patrick Massoni went 3-for-5 with a RBI. Four other Govs, including Gleason and Smithson, had two hits each.

SIUE starter P.J. Shuster (1-6) was tagged for the loss after allowing three runs over five innings. The Cougars bullpen was tagged for 11 runs over the final four innings.

SIUE left fielder Jackson Layton went 2-for-4 with a RBI to lead an offensive effort that finished with three runs on six hits.

Austin Peay and SIUE continue their three-game league set with a 2:00pm, Saturday contest.

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