Charleston, IL – Second baseman Malcolm Tipler had three hits and two RBI and the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team turned the tables on Eastern Illinois, winning Game 2 of Friday’s doubleheader 7-5, Friday at Coaches Stadium.
In the day’s first game, Eastern Illinois (22-21, 12-14 OVC) used a late-game rally to down the Governors.
In the nightcap, Austin Peay State University (17-28, 12-11 OVC) returned the favor, scoring three runs in the final three innings to break a 4-4 tie en route to the victory.
Tipler had a hand in breaking the tie in the seventh inning. After right fielder Skyler Luna singled, third baseman Gino Avros followed with a walk.
Tipler then singled to right field to score Luna. The Panthers then tried to pick off Tipler at first base but the throw got past the first baseman and Avros scored, extending the lead to 6-4.
Luna would later add an insurance run in the top of the ninth with his first home run of the season, putting the Govs ahead 7-4. The extra insurance run proved useful as Eastern Illinois scored catcher Ryan Knernschield singled to score pinch hitter Chase Rademacher. The Panthers would put the tying run aboard, but reliever Harley Gollert induced a game-ending double play to secure the win.
APSU starter Sebastian Martinez (3-5) earned the win thanks to the late rally. He held the Panthers to four runs on four hits and five walks over 6.2 innings. Gollert notched his second save after allowing one run on three hits over the final two innings.
Tipler went 3-for-5 with two RBI, including a first-inning home run. Avros was 1-for-3, including a solo home run in the game-tying home run in the fifth inning, walked twice and scored three times. Luna was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI.
EIU reliever Alex Stevenson (3-4) took the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits over four innings. Knernschield’s 2-for-5 outing that included a RBI was the Panthers lone multi-hit outing in the game.
Austin Peay State University and Eastern Illinois conclude their three-game OVC series with an 11:00am, Saturday game.
Box Score
Austin Peay 7, Eastern Illinois 5
| R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 9 | 1 | |
| 5 | 8 | 3 |
W: MARTINEZ, Sebastian (3-5) L: STEVENSON, Alex (3-4) S: GOLLERT, Harley (2)
