Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball second baseman Malcolm Tipler, center fielder Garrett Spain and right fielder TJ Foreman each homered as the Governors defeated Belmont 11-8 in the Ohio Valley Conference series finale, Saturday, on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
With the win, Austin Peay State University won the three-game OVC series from Belmont, 2-1, for its first league series victory this season.
Belmont (7-12, 4-5 OVC) rallied to tie the game, 7-7, in the sixth inning. After the first two batters reached base, third baseman Logan Jarvis singled in a run. The APSU Govs then permitted the tying run to score in exchange for a double play. Govs reliever Peyton Jula made the exchange pay off, striking out the next batter to end the inning.
Austin Peay State University (7-14, 4-5 OVC) wasted no time regaining the lead. Third baseman Gino Avros reached on a bunt single and Tipler walked on four pitches. Spain followed with a home run to right center, giving the Govs a 10-7 lead. Foreman would later add a solo home run in the seventh inning to extend the lead.
Jula (1-4) shook off the sixth-inning scoring and went 3.2 innings allowing two runs on four hits while striking out three.
Foreman and Avros each went 3-for-4 to pace an APSU offense that posted 14 hits on the day. Spain ended the day with four RBI, Tipler finished with three RBI and Avros had two RBI.
Belmont right fielder John Behrends went 4-for-5 with two RBI and four runs scored, including a solo home run, to lead the Bruins offense. Reliever Korey Bell (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing two runs in 1.1 innings of work.
Next Up For Austin Peay State University Baseball
The Austin Peay State University baseball team begins a five-game road trip with a 6:00pm, Tuesday contest at Lipscomb. The APSU Govs then travel to Eastern Kentucky for a three-game OVC series, Friday-Saturday.
