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HomeSportsAPSU Baseball hosts Indiana State this Weekend

APSU Baseball hosts Indiana State this Weekend

APSU Sports Information

APSU BaseballClarksville, TN – Austin Peay looks to return to its winning ways when it hosts Indiana State in a three-game series, Friday-Sunday, at Raymond C. Hand Park. The set is scheduled to begin with a 3:00pm, Friday contest before concluding with 1:00pm contests both Saturday and Sunday.

Austin Peay Baseball plays Indiana State this weekend at Raymond C. Hand Park. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Baseball plays Indiana State this weekend at Raymond C. Hand Park. (APSU Sports Information)

The Governors (6-2) suffered their season’s second loss at Vanderbilt, Tuesday, in their first true road game.

However, Austin Peay is unbeaten in weekend play so far in 2018, sweeping three games in St. Louis on opening weekend before sweeping Toledo at home last weekend.

Indiana State (5-3) is wrapping up a seven-game stay in the Middle Tennessee area, which began with a sweep through the Mule Mix Classic last weekend. The Sycamores downed Lipscomb, Middle Tennessee and Belmont on successive days, posting a 45-11 margin in the tournament. ISU then faced Vanderbilt, Wednesday, dropping an 8-5 decision.

First Hacks

After posting just two hits in the opening week, first baseman Parker Phillips has broke out of his season-opening slump with seven hits in last week’s four games, but he has just one extra-base hit this season. Second baseman Garrett Giovannelli is ranked among the Top 25 in Division I in walks (10) and has seven walks in his last four games.

Shortstop Garrett Kueber leads the Govs 10 RBI after the season’s first two weeks, largely thanks to his seven extra base hits which includes his first collegiate home run in the Toledo finale. Third baseman Bobby Head was 4-for-8 with five RBI against the Rockets, going 2-for-4 in each of his two starts.

Left fielder Brandon Kelley saw his four-game hit streak stopped after coming off the bench in the Toledo series finale, he has started four of APSU’s eight games in left. Center fielder Imani Willis returned from a two-game respite and has two hits in each of his last three games, including a grand slam and five RBI in Game 2 of the Toledo series and a walk-off single in the Toledo finale.

Right fielder Nick Walker was held off the bases for the first time this season at Vanderbilt, Tuesday, but has nine hits and seven walks this season. Catcher David Martinez‘ notched his first hit of 2018 against Toledo, last Friday, a RBI single that provided the Govs first run of Game 2.

Designated hitter Andrew Flaherty has seven hits in his last three games, including a 4-of-5 outing in Game 2 of the Toledo series, and leads the Govs in batting average (.417), slugging percentage (.750) and on-base percentage (.548) entering the weekend. Utility man Kyle Wilson saw action in all three games of the Toledo series, playing left field and designated hitter, and was 2-for-7 with two RBI.

Infielder Malcolm Tipler has a three-game hit streak, which he extended with a pinch hit double at Vanderbilt, Tuesday. Outfielder Aaron Campbell made his season’s first start in the Toledo finale and went 1-for-4 with a double. John McDonald is battling a four-game hitless streak after opening his season with a 3-for-4 outing against Illinois.

The 2018 Governors offense is a collectively young group with only 15 years of Division I experience between the 20 available position players entering the season. Austin Peay has seen 13 different players make a start in the batting order so far this season.  The Govs have hit 50 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons and in five of the last six campaigns, including last season’s record 84-homer campaign.

Toeing The Rubber

Left-hander Michael Costanzo will make his third straight start as the Govs No. 1. He posted his season’s first win with a second-straight five-inning outing in the opener against Toledo, registering eight strikeouts while allowing only two runs.

Southpaw Jacques Pucheu also picked up his season’s first win in the nightcap of the Toledo doubleheader. Pucheu went a career-long 6.2 innings against the Rockets, allowing two runs while striking out seven. Pucheu has not allowed a walk in his first 12 innings of 2018.

Righty Brandon Vial will look to bounce back after his rough home debut against Toledo that saw him allow five runs on six hits in 3.2 innings. Vial was the OVC Co-Pitcher of the Week after the opening weekend when he opened with 7.1 scoreless innings against Illinois. Governors pitchers have 74 strikeouts in 72 innings (9.25 K/9) this season, 60 of those coming in the six weekend outings.

Austin Peay pitchers amassed a record-tying 466 strikeouts (8.07 K/9)last season. It was only the fifth time in program history a Govs pitching staff has recorded 400 strikeouts in a season, all occurring since 2011.

On Deck

A Spring Break roadtrip awaits the Governors following this weekend’s series. Austin Peay will meet nationally-ranked Ole Miss in a Tuesday contest before traveling down Interstate 22 to Birmingham for a Wednesday contest at Samford. That all leads up to the opening weekend of Ohio Valley Conference play which will see Austin Peay meet Jacksonville State in Oxford, Alabama.

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