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HomeSportsAPSU Baseball defeats SIU Edwardsville at Raymond C. Hand Park, 7-6

APSU Baseball defeats SIU Edwardsville at Raymond C. Hand Park, 7-6

APSU BaseballClarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball center fielder Garrett Spain supplied three RBI, third baseman Gino Avros started a walk-off double play, and the Governors held on for a 7-6 victory against SIU Edwardsville (SIUE), Saturday on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

Austin Peay State University Baseball holds off SIU Edwardsville for 7-6 victory, Saturday. (Robert Smith, APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay State University Baseball holds off SIU Edwardsville for a 7-6 victory, Saturday. (Robert Smith, APSU Sports Information)

With the win, Austin Peay State University won the three-game Ohio Valley Conference series, 2-1.

In Friday’s action, APSU won Game 1, 7-6 in 12 innings, while SIUE won the nightcap, 11-3. It is the Governors’ second-straight OVC series victory.

Austin Peay State University (14-23, 11-10 OVC) got on the board first with a three-run third inning. Shortstop John Bolton and Avros opened the innings with back-to-back singles. After a fielder’s choice put runners at the corners, Spain rifled the ball to right field that got to the wall for a two-run triple. Right fielder Bobby Head then hit a single to left field, scoring Spain for a 3-0 lead.

The Governors would extend their lead to 7-1 with another three-run outburst in the sixth inning. Again, Spain was in the middle of the action, hitting a high bouncing ball toward the right side of the infield. The SIUE second baseman fielded the ball, but his throw home could not catch Bolton, who scored on the infield hit. Two batters later, catcher Jack Alexander hit a double to the wall in left-center to drive in two more runs.

SIUE (18-16, 9-9 OVC) could not solve Austin Peay starter Drew McIllwain (1-2), who held the Cougars to three hits and a run over six innings. After he departed, SIUE strung together five consecutive one-out singles. Third baseman Raul Elguezabal and first baseman Ole Arntson each drove in a run during the stretch of singles, narrowing the APSU lead to 7-3.

The Cougars applied even more pressure on the Govs’ bullpen in the ninth. SIUE opened with a walk and a double before second baseman Connor Kiffer singled into center fielder to drive in both runners. After a strikeout, designated hitter Brady Bunten singled, putting the go-ahead run on base. After reliever Nick Wellman entered the game, Arntson’s hit a hard ground ball to Avros, which led the Govs’ third baseman to the third-base bag to start a game-ending double play.

McIllwain struck out a career-high eight batters in his season’s first victory, allowing just one run and two walks over six innings. Nick Wellman induced the game-ending double play from the only batter he faced to pick up his first collegiate save.

Spain went 4-for-5 with three RBI to lead the Govs offense. Alexander was 2-for-5 with two RBI.

 

 

SIUE starter Brant Glidewell (4-1) suffered his season’s first loss after allowing four runs on eight hits over five innings. Elguezabal went 3-for-5 with an RBI, and four other SIUE hitters had two hits each.

Next Up For APSU Baseball

The Austin Peay State University baseball team continues its nine-game homestand when it hosts North Alabama in a 6:00pm Tuesday contest at Raymond C. Hand Park.

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