60.9 F
Clarksville
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeSportsAPSU Baseball faces Lipscomb in Nashville, Tuesday

APSU Baseball faces Lipscomb in Nashville, Tuesday

Austin Peay (23-27) at Lipscomb (26-23)

Tuesday, May 16th, 2017 | 1:00pm CT
Nashville, TN | Ken Dugan Field

APSU BaseballClarksville, TN –  One final nonconference test awaits Austin Peay State University’s baseball team as their seven-game road trip continues with a 1:00pm, Tuesday contest against Lipscomb in Nashville.

The contest wraps up the Govs nonconference slate before it travels to Eastern Illinois for a key Ohio Valley Conference set.

Austin Peay Baseball plays Lipscomb Tuesday afternoon. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Baseball plays Lipscomb Tuesday afternoon. (APSU Sports Information)

Series Notes

Austin Peay and Lipscomb met less than a week ago with the Govs rallying from a four-run deficit in the ninth to win a 14-11 decision, Wednesday. It was APSU’s 15th win in the last 18 meetings between the two teams in a series that dates back to 1931. The Govs hold a 69-65-1 advantage in the all-time series, but the Bisons own a 25-22 edge in games play in Nashville since 1962.

Probable Starters

APSU: RHP Landon Kelly (0-1, 4.12 ERA)
LU: RHP Dayton Tripp (3-3. 6.75 ERA)

First Hacks

APSU Baseball - Parker PhillipsRedshirt freshman catcher/utility man Parker Phillips was named the adidas(R) Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week, Monday, becoming the third Govs hitter to receive the award. Phillips batted .500 (10-for-20) and hit three home runs during last week’s five-game slate.

Redshirt junior left fielder Cayce Bredlau has reached safely in 20 consecutive games (22 H, 15 BB, .425 OBP) dating back to April 1st and brings a nine-game hit streak (.344, 11-for-32, 6 RBI) into the weekday action.

Junior second baseman Garrett Giovannelli saw his 14-game hit streak come to an end against SIU Edwardsville, May 5th, and is battling a cold stretch that has seen him bat .147 (5-for-34) in the last eight games, but he had a hit in each of the final two games at Notre Dame.

APSU Baseball - Dre GleasonSenior first baseman Dre Gleason was one of 40 players named to USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award Watch List, April 12th. Gleason has a hit in 11 of the Govs last 14 games (.306, 15-for-49, 9 BB). Since April 29th, senior right fielder Chase Hamilton has batted .353 (12-for-34) with two home runs and six RBI, boosting his season average 27 points in nine games.

Sophomore Brett Newberg went 2-for-6 with three RBI in midweek outings against Evansville and Lipscomb last week but was held hitless (5 ABs) at Notre Dame. Senior utility man Alex Robles hit a grand slam for his season’s second walk off base hit in the Govs comeback win against Lipscomb, May 10th, but was held to one base hit in the weekend set at Notre Dame (11 ABs).

Sophomore catcher Alex Sala started two of the three games at Notre Dame and was 1-for-5 with a RBI and he is now 6-for-15 (.400) with five RBI at the plate since April 21 (9 games played). Freshman utility man Malcolm Tipler had a hit in the first two games of the Notre Dame series and is batting .286 (7-for-31) in May.

Since April 1st, Junior center fielder Imani Willis is batting .325 (27-for-83) with 20 runs scored, including a 3-for-3 performance at Notre Dame, Saturday.

Power Performance

APSU Baseball - Alex RoblesRobles’ walk-off grand slam, Wednesday, was the Govs 73rd home run this season, breaking the program’s single-season record set in 2001. It also was APSU’s first grand slam this season and nearly a year to the day since its last grand slam. The Govs enter week ranked No. 4 in home runs per game (1.50) among Division I teams.

APSU remains ranked fifth in total home runs (75), 12th in slugging percentage (.488) and are now ranked 22nd in doubles per game (2.12). Austin Peay has hit 31 home runs in its last 21 games. Giovannelli became the 14th different batter to hit a home run in 2017, extending the program record for most players with a home run in a season. The Govs record average is 1.25 home runs per game set in 1999. APSU hit a Hand Park record six home runs against Tennessee Tech, March 25th.

Toeing The Rubber

Staff Notes
APSU pitchers continue their torrid strikeout pace, racking up 408 Ks through 447.2 innings this season. It is only the fifth time in program history a Govs pitching staff has recorded 400 strikeouts in a season, all occurring since 2011. The record is 466 strikeouts set during the 62-game 2013 season.

Their 8.21 strikeout rate currently ranks 82nd nationally (6th in OVC). It would be just the third time in program history a Govs pitching staff has averaged more than eight strikeouts per nine innings. With Kelly’s start Wednesday, 11 of the Govs 14 pitchers will have started a game this season.

Probable Starter
Freshman right-hander Landon Kelly is penciled in to make his first collegiate start against the Bisons. He has 13 relief appearances this season and his two best outings this season have come in outings lasting four innings or longer. Did not allow a run in four innings of relief at Murray State, March 18th. Held SIUE scoreless through five innings, May 16th, striking out five.

Up Next for APSU Baseball

The 2017 regular season comes to an end with the Govs traveling to Eastern Illinois for a three-game OVC set, Thursday-Saturday. Austin Peay controls its own destiny to a degree with a series sweep assuring it a spot in the OVC Baseball Championship.

Follow APSU Baseball

For additional coverage of Austin Peay’s baseball team, follow the Govs on Twitter @AustinPeayBSB. Austin Peay’s athletics department also maintains several social media accounts @LetsGoPeay (Twitter), /LetsGoPeay (Facebook) and /LetsGoPeay (Instagram).

RELATED ARTICLES

Latest Articles