Nashville, TN – A reprise of 2019 was not in store for the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team as No. 2 Vanderbilt held it to three hits in a 7-0 decision, Tuesday night at Hawkins Field.
Austin Peay (12-22), which stunned then No. 1 Vanderbilt in 2019, got off to a good start with third baseman Gino Avros posting a leadoff single.
However, Vanderbilt starter Thomas Schultz (4-2) retired the next eight batters until surrendering a walk to Avros in the third inning.
Schultz would allow a single to right fielder Bobby Head in the fourth and walks in both the fifth and sixth, but did not allow a runner past second base in his outing. His six scoreless frames included four strikeouts while scattering two hits and three walks over 22 batters.
The Commodores offense got off to a hot start in the bottom of the first with four batters reaching base after an opening out. Second baseman Parker Noland provided a two-run double to open the scoring and right fielder Isaiah Thomas added a run on a ground out for a 3-0 lead.
Vanderbilt (29-6) would add a run in the third and three more in the sixth. Noland added his third RBI with a groundout in the third. The first three batters reached base in the sixth, each scoring to set the final score.
APSU starter Drew McIllwain (0-2) allowed three runs on three hits and a walk in his inning of work.
Noland led Vanderbilt with a 1-for-3, three RBI outing. First baseman Dominic Keegan went 2-for-3 for the Commodores lone multi-hit outing.
Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University baseball team opens a nine-game homestand when its hosts SIU Edwardsville in a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series, scheduled to begin Friday.
