Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team steps out of Ohio Valley Conference play for the final five games of its current homestand, beginning with a pair of midweek contests this week. The Govs first host North Alabama in a 6:00pm, Tuesday contest followed by a nonconference tilt against Southeast Missouri at 6:00pm, Wednesday.
Austin Peay State University opened its homestand with a OVC series victory against SIU Edwardsville, Friday-Saturday.
The 2-1 series win moved the Govs into a tie for fourth-place in the league standings with nine OVC games remaining. Centerfielder Garrett Spain led the APSU Govs against SIUE, going 8-for-14 (.571) with four RBI and five stolen bases.
Second baseman Malcolm Tipler had a walk-off home run in Game 1 of the series and was 5-for-11 (.455), walked four times, and scored six runs.
North Alabama snapped a 13-game losing streak with a series-opening victory against Bellarmine, Friday. The Lions have posted just five wins to date, but that total includes a three-game ASUN series sweep of Lipscomb, March 26-28. Reid Homan leads UNA with 17 RBI and 10 stolen bases while batting .277 this season, but is batting .463 during an active 11-game hit streak.
Southeast Missouri returns to action for the first time since April 17th after seeing its nonconference series at Missouri State canceled due to COVID-19 Coronavirus issues at MSU. Prior to the break, the Redhawks claimed their third straight OVC series victory against Tennessee Tech, April 16th-17th. Tyler Wilber continues to be a force at the plate with a .392 batting average, four home runs, and 32 RBI in 33 games played.
Inside The Series: North Alabama
The Series: 48 previous meetings, UNA leads 25-23
Previously: UNA won 4-3 in 1991, salvaging a split of the home-and-home set
Notably: Tuesday’s meeting will be the first between the Govs and Lions since 1991 in a series that dates back to 1935.
Inside The Series: Southeast Missouri
The Series: 100 previous meetings, SEMO leads 57-43
Previously: SEMO won the OVC series, 2-1, this season in Cape Girardeau
Notably: Wednesday’s will be the first nonconference tilt between the Govs and Redhawks since 1989, SEMO joined the OVC in 1992. The Govs won the final game of this season’s OVC set in Cape Girardeau, that March 20 victory igniting APSU into a stretch that has seen it win 11 of 21, going from 3-13 overall to 14-23.
Probably Starters
Tuesday | RHP Peyton Jula (1-4, 6.68) vs. LHP Jacob James (1-1, 7.31)
Wednesday | Govs Starter TBA vs. RHP Bryce Grossius (2-1, 8.03)
First Hacks
Catcher Jack Alexander closed the SIUE series with a 2-for-5, two RBI performance. He posted a .429 on-base percentage in the three-game set with four walks in the series’ first two games.
Third baseman Gino Avros hit a leadoff home run to begin the SIUE series, Friday and had a hit in all three games of the series. He went 6-for-16 (.375) at the plate against the Cougars.
John Bolton closed the SIUE series by reaching base in three of his four plate appearances (1B, 2 BB) and scoring twice. He moved into the starting shortstop role at Ole Miss, April 13th (8 games started).
Harrison Brown was the Govs starting DH in the final two games of the SIUE series. He hit his first collegiate home run in Game 2 of the set and had a single in the series finale.
TJ Foreman was the APSU Govs starting left fielder in the final two games of the SIUE series and was 3-for-6 at the plate with a RBI in Friday’s doubleheader.
Outfielder Knaje Guthrie made his first collegiate home run count, hitting a grand slam against Morehead State, April 9th. He was the Govs starting left fielder from March 20th-April 23rd before Foreman took over against SIUE.
First baseman John McDonald went 3-for-10 in the final two games of the SIUE series after being held hitless in the series opener. Still, he ran his reached safely streak to 11 games.
Center fielder Garrett Spain leads APSU with 14 multi-hit outings and seven multi-RBI outings this season. Austin Peay State University is 11-3 in his multi-hit outings and 5-2 in his multi-RBI efforts.
Second baseman Malcolm Tipler had a hit in all three games of the SIUE series, extending his reached safely streak to 11 games.
Austin Peay State University has recorded 12 of its 13 double-digit hit outings this season since March 20th.
Raymond C. Hand Park Admission Polices
Purchase tickets online at www.LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets.
Guests must maintain proper social distancing while inside the facility.
Masks are required to cover both the mouth and nose at all times while in the facility.
Failure to wear masks or maintain proper social distancing may result in guests being asked to leave the facility.
No seating permitted in the upper two rows of the chairback seating.
Pets are not permitted inside Raymond C. Hand Park; however, service dogs (i.e., guide dogs for persons with disabilities) are allowed in the ballpark.