Austin Peay vs. Southeast Missouri
March 29th-31st, 2018 | 6:00pm, 6:00pm, 1:00pm
Clarksville, TN | Raymond C. Hand Park
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay’s baseball team returns home for the Easter weekend to host Southeast Missouri in a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series scheduled for Thursday-Saturday at Raymond C. Hand Park due to the holiday.
The weekend set is scheduled to open with a 6:00pm, Thursday contest.
The Govs and Redhawks then will face off in a 6:00pm, Friday match that will feature a postgame fireworks show presented by Fuse Fireworks.
Austin Peay and Southeast Missouri then wrap up the series with a 1:00pm, Saturday contest.
Austin Peay will look to utilize its home field to bounce back from last weekend’s series loss at Tennessee Tech. The Governors are 8-3 and have not lost a weekend series at The Hand.
After opening the season with a 3-10 record, Southeast Missouri has terrorized OVC foes to the tune of a 7-2 record and stands in second place entering this weekend’s play. The Redhawks have turned into an offensive juggernaut in league action with a .339 batting average and 8.9 runs per game in league play – both OVC bests.
Ticket Information
Single-game, flex, season and boxLife Suite tickets for Austin Peay baseball are available by calling the Governors Athletics Ticket office at 931.221.PEAY [7329] or online at LetsGoPeay.com/SportTix
The Suite Life
Fans interested in more information or renting an Austin Peay-themed boxLIFE suite for the season, a weekend or a game should complete the online form available at LetsGoPeay.com or contact Mike Minyard, Associate Athletics Director at minyardm@apsu.edu. Suites may be rented each weekend series ($1,000 per weekend) or on a single-game basis.
First Hacks
Austin Peay is ranked No. 55 in the NCAA’s March 25 RPI rankings. The Govs have recorded six or more walks 14 times this season and they rank ninth nationally with 149 base on balls (5.96 per game). Austin Peay also is ranked among the nation’s Top 50 in doubles per game (2.32, 20th) and scoring (7.2 runs per game, 32nd) entering the weekend.
Shortstop Garrett Kueber has 14 hits (.560 BA) and nine RBI in the Govs’ last six games, opening with back-to-back four-hit outings, and has reached base safely in all 25 games this season. Second baseman Garrett Giovannelli brings an 11-game hit streak into the weekend, with 19 hits (.373 BA) and four doubles in his last four games; he also owns a 31-game reached base safely streak that dates back to last season – the longest in the OVC this season.
Third baseman Malcolm Tipler owns a nine-game hit streak with 13 hits (.382 BA), eight RBI and 12 runs scored during the streak. First baseman Parker Phillips‘ bat has roared to life with a five-game hit streak (.350 BA, nine RBI) that includes a 3-for-4, five RBI outing in Game 2 of the Tennessee Tech series.
Outfielder/first baseman Andrew Flaherty snapped his four-game hitless streak in the Tennessee Tech finale, reaching base three times (H, BB, HBP) in the contest. Center fielder Imani Willis has two grand slams this season; he has reached base safely in 20 of the 21 games since returning to the starting lineup February 23rd.
Outfielder Nick Walker has missed seven games with a lower-body injury but is close to returning to the Govs starting lineup; he is one of three Govs with three home runs this season. Catcher David Martinez‘ has reached base safely in six consecutive games and hit his first home run as a Governor in the Tennessee Tech series finale, March 25th.
Catcher Alex Sala owns a six-game hit streak that has seen him bat .347 (eight hits) three doubles, a home run and eight RBI.
The 2018 Govs 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 16 different players make a start in the batting order this season and utilized a different batting order in every game this season.
Toeing The Rubber
For the first time this season, the Governors No. 1 and 2 starters will look to bounce back after losses. Lefty Michael Costanzo suffered his season’s first loss despite allowing just one run at Tennessee Tech, last Friday. Costanzo is ranked among the OVC Top 2 in ERA (2.88, 2nd), opponent’s batting average (.195, 1st), strikeouts (48, t-1st) and wins (4, t-2nd).
Left-hander Jacques Pucheu suffered his first loss since May 13, 2017 at Notre Dame, ending a streak of seven consecutive starts without a loss. He is ranked among the OVC Top 10 in ERA (3.97, 10th), opponent’s batting average (.240, 7th), strikeouts (39, 5th) and wins (3, t-6th).
Right-hander Brandon Vial and lefty Josh Rye have combined to start the previous six weekend finales and are a combined 1-1 with a 6.85 ERA.
Govs pitchers have 194 strikeouts in 218 innings (8.01 K/9) this season. Austin Peay pitchers amassed a record-tying 466 strikeouts (8.07 K/9) last season.
On Deck
After the quick homestand, Austin Peay returns to the road for a six-game road trip, beginning with a 5:00pm, Tuesday contest at Southern Illinois.
