APSU Baseball scores three in the Ninth to beat Boston College, 18-17

Clarksville, TN – For the second-straight game, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team completed a come-from-behind victory with a walk-off walk, downing Boston College 18-17 in eight innings, Sunday, on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

After battling back from an eight-run deficit in Saturday’s win, Austin Peay (2-1) fell into a deeper hole in Sunday’s finale. The Govs trailed by 10 runs, 11-1, after the top of the fourth before they began their comeback.

That effort began with an eight-run fourth-inning, highlighted by catcher Jack McDonald’s 420-foot home run to straight-away center field, to slash the deficit to 11-9. Boston College scored twice in the top of the fifth, but Austin Peay State University scored three in the bottom of the fifth to close within a run at 13-12. The Governors tied the game in the sixth when first baseman John McDonald walked to start the inning and later scored on a wild pitch.
 
With the game tied, Boston College (1-2) quickly regained the lead in the seventh with four runs. Designated hitter Joe Vetrano delivered the big blow with a three-run home run to right center field, giving BC a 17-14 lead.

Austin Peay State University chipped away at that lead with second baseman Jonah Beamon’s two-run home run in the seventh. Then in the eighth, the Governors loaded the bases with a Boston College error and back-to-back walks. Pinch hitter Ty DeLancey tied the game with a two-run double just inside the right-field line.

Boston College then loaded the bases again by intentionally walking center fielder Skyler Luna. Left fielder Knaje Guthrie stepped to the plate and battled through a 10-pitch at-bat, including five consecutive foul balls, before earning the walk-off walk to close the game.

The late rally handed junior Tyler Delong his first Austin Peay victory with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Catcher Jack Alexander led the Govs with a 2-for-5, four RBI day that included a pair of home runs. Beamon and Guthrie had three RBI each.

Right fielder Cameron Leary hit home runs in each of his first two at bats to help Boston College build its early advantage and went 3-for-3 with six RBI. Ventrano suffered the loss after taking the mound in the eighth inning and issued a pair of walks and the game-tying two-run double.

The Governor

An epic final plate appearance by Knaje Guthrie capped his 3-for-4, three RBI, three-runs scored, two-walk performance. In the final plate appearance, he quickly got ahead in the count, 3-1. Guthrie then battled reliever Julian Tonghini, fouling off five consecutive pitches, before the 10th pitch sailed inside for the game-ending walk.

Notes and Notables

Power 5 Series Dub. For the first time since 2013, Austin Peay State University claimed a three-game weekend series from a Power 5 opponent. That 2013 team – which went on to win a program-record 47 games – took two of three from Big 10 foe Iowa to begin the season.

18 is enough. APSU’s 18 runs were its most since scoring 18 runs in a win against Evansville on February 23rd, 2020. It is the 59th time APSU has scored 18 or more runs in a game, their 41st consecutive win when scoring 18 or more runs, and they improved to 58-1 when posting at least 18 runs.

Five-Touchdown Games. The 35 combined runs in the game were the most in a game APSU has been involved since a 22-17 loss to Western Kentucky during the 2017 season. It is the 18th time Austin Peay State University has played in a game featuring 35 runs or more and the Govs are 10-8 in those games.

Box Score

Boston College 17, Austin Peay 18

W: DELONG, Tyler (1-0) L: Joe Vetrano (0-1)