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HomeSportsAPSU Baseball loses at home to Kentucky, 11-1

APSU Baseball loses at home to Kentucky, 11-1

APSU Sports Information

APSU BaseballClarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball starting pitcher Josh Rye surrendered just three runs over five-plus innings, but Kentucky again pieced together a late charge to claim an 11-1 victory, Sunday, at Joe and Cathi Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

Austin Peay Baseball starting pitcher Josh Rye allowed three runs in five plus innings of work in loss to Kentucky, Sunday. (Robert Smith, APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Baseball starting pitcher Josh Rye allowed three runs in five plus innings of work in loss to Kentucky, Sunday. (Robert Smith, APSU Sports Information)

Moments after Govs starter Josh Rye escaped a leadoff double in the top of the second, the Govs returned the favor in their half of the frame as first baseman Parker Phillips doubled off the base of the wall in left center.

Unlike the Wildcats, Austin Peay would cash in the leadoff double immediately as center fielder Garrett Spain singled through the left side for his team-leading fourth RBI of the series.

Water Cooler Notes

Human Rain  Delay
Designated hitter Brett Newberg’s first at-bat of 2019 was a memorable one as he saw 13 pitches in an at-bat that lasted 13 minutes in the second inning. The senior would fall behind 0-2 before fouling off a pair of pitches. He then saw three straight balls before fouling off the next five pitches. Alas, poor Newberg saw his line drive on the 13th pitch caught by the center fielder for an out.

Strong Start-ERS
Newberg’s 5.2-inning outing against Kentucky meant that each of the Govs three starters went at least five innings during the opening weekend, despite each entering their first competitive weekend with a 75-pitch limit. Kentucky saw just one of its five pitchers get to the fifth inning on the weekend.

Rest Of The Story

For the first time in the series, Austin Peay (0-3) scored first and again it was center fielder Garrett Spain who delivered the run. After first baseman Parker Phillips doubled to start the second inning, Spain found the hole in the infield for a run-scoring single and a 1-0 Austin Peay lead.

The Governors would have a crucial opportunity to increase their lead in the fifth inning, getting runners on second and third base with one out. But the Wildcats escaped as a pair of relievers combined for back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.

Rye (0-1) would stymie Kentucky through five-plus scoreless innings, particularly when the visitors would get runners on base. The Wildcats would go hitless in their first 11 at-bats with a runner on base against the Govs left-hander.

That streak included the opening moments of the pivotal sixth inning. After Braydon Daniel led off the frame with a walk, Rye would get outs on a mishit bunt and a deep fly ball to nearly end the threat. However, designated hitter T.J. Collett rifled a ground ball down the first base line to keep the Kentucky rally alive. One batter later first baseman Dalton Reed delivered a three-run homer to right-center field to give Kentucky the lead for good, 3-1.

Kentucky (3-0) would eventually extend its lead with two runs in the seventh and six more in the eighth as the Govs surrendered seven unearned runs in the closing frames.

Rye was the hard-luck loser despite limiting Kentucky to three runs over his 5.2-inning start. He struck out a career-high tying seven of the 23 batters he faced and allowed only four hits and two walks.

Kentucky reliever Carson Coleman (2-0) picked up his second win of the series with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief. Starter Dillon Marsh was left with no decision after allowing one run over four innings.

Six different Govs hitters finished with one hit each, Spain along with fellow freshmen Gino Avros and Sebastian Martinez each posting a hit.

Collett and right fielder Jaren Shelby each had three hits to pace Kentucky, Shelby ended the day 3-for-5 with two RBI.

Up Next For APSU

APSU Baseball now prepares for its role as co-host of the 2019 Mule Mix Classic. That event is scheduled to start with a 3:00pm, Thursday contest against Bradley (2-1), which won its season-opening series at Central Arkansas. The Govs also are scheduled to host Western Michigan, Toledo, and Northern Illinois in the four-day event.

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