Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team closes a nine-game homestand when it hosts Bellarmine Tuesday for a 6:00pm contest on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
The Governors seek their fourth win of the homestand when they host the Knights.
After opening with three wins in their first four games, APSU has lost its last four. Center fielder Garrett Spain (.441), second baseman Malcolm Tipler (.393) and third baseman Gino Avros (.351) have each batted .350 or better during the homestand with first baseman John McDonald batting .368 prior to suffering an injury at the end of the North Alabama contest.
Bellarmine closes a seven-game road trip with Tuesday’s outing in Clarksville. The Knights opened the road trip with a 2-1 Atlantic Sun series victory at North Alabama before being swept at Liberty last weekend. It’s been a rough season for Bellarmine which only has four position players who have played more than 75 percent of the team’s 36 games in 2021.
Outfielder Matt Figgins leads the Knights in batting average (.370), home runs (7), and RBI (26) in just 24 games played.
Inside The Series
The Series: Two previous meetings, APSU won both
Previously: APSU won the March 23rd meeting, 9-1, in Louisville.
Notably: Bellarmine is in its first season as a Division I program. The Knights were Division II NCAA Tournament participants in three consecutive seasons (2017-19), winning a Midwest Regional game in 2018 and 2019, before moving up one division. Bellarmine head coach Larry Owens was a volunteer assistant and pitching coach at Austin Peay for two seasons (1999-2000).
First Hacks
Catcher Jack Alexander had a hit in each of his starts against Arkansas State and posted a pinch hit walk in Game 2 of the series.
Third baseman Gino Avros was just 1-for-30 (.033) at the plate through the season’s first 10 games. But his turnaround over the last 32 games has been remarkable, Avros batting .361 (44-122) with a commanding .457 on-base percentage since March 14th.
John Bolton led the Govs with a .455 on-base percentage in the Arkansas State series. He walked three times in Game 1, scoring twice, and went 2-for-4 in Game 2 of the series.
Harrison Brown provided a RBI double and scored twice in Game 1 of the Arkansas State series. He has a hit in four of his last six games (.267, 4-15).
TJ Foreman started three straight games in left field before coming off the bench in Tuesday’s game against Southeast Missouri. He has four hits (.333, 4-12) and three walks in the Govs last five games.
Knaje Guthrie picked up starts at second base and left field against Arkansas State and was 3-for-7 with a double at the plate, ending a five-game hitless streak.
Bobby Head has started at all four infield positions and in right field this season. He has played the past four games at first base in place of the injured John McDonald and is 2-for-12 with four RBI and three walks at the plate.
Matt Joslin went 2-for-4 in Sunday’s start at designated hitter, including a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning. It was his first start since April 17th.
First baseman John McDonald enjoyed a 4-for-5, four RBI outing against North Alabama, last Tuesday, including a walk-off single in the ninth. He pushed his average to .296 which is just shy of his season-best of .308 on Feb. 28.
Center fielder Garrett Spain leads the Govs with a .441 batting average (15-34), seven RBI and six stolen bases during the homestand.
Second baseman Malcolm Tipler has team bests in walks (8), on-base percentage (.541), and runs scored (12) while batting .393 during the homestand.
Outfielder Jeremy Wagner has started four straight games and is batting .312 (5-16) with a double, triple, and RBI in those games.
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.
