Clarksville, TN – After its first road weekend of 2022, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team returns home briefly for a Tuesday game against Middle Tennessee before hitting the road again to start Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend. The game starts at 6:00pm.
The Governors first-weekend road trip saw them suffer a series sweep at Saint Louis as the offense was held to nine runs over the weekend. Meanwhile, the Blue Raiders opened Conference USA play with a three-game series loss against Old Dominion, winning Sunday’s series finale to avoid a series sweep.
Middle Tennessee catcher Mason Spiers is leading his club with a .383 batting average this season. Shortstop Fausto Lopez leads the Blue Raiders in doubles (6), home runs (4), walks (12) and runs scored (16) from his leadoff spot in the order.
Tuesday’s game is the second half of the home-and-home series between the two in-state rivals. Last week, Alexander went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and the Govs led 6-3 after six innings. However, Middle Tennessee rallied with two runs in the seventh and two more in the ninth to win in walk-off fashion. Spiers went 2-for-3 for the Blue Raiders lone multi-hit outing in the game.
New To The Hand
Austin Peay’s athletics department made two major changes to improve the fan experience this spring at Raymond C. Hand Park. First, new netting was installed that extends from dugout to dugout and is 30 feet high to protect the seating area and hillsides behind both dugouts. Fans are reminded foul balls may still enter the seating area but the new netting should provide a safer experience.
In addition, new chairback seating was installed behind home plate. The new reserved seating area provides additional seating space for fans along with cup holders for their ice-cold Coca-Cola products.
Tickets
Season and single-game tickets are still available for the 31-game home slate. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance by visiting LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets or by calling the APSU Athletics Ticket Office at 931.221.PEAY (7329). The ticket window at Raymond C. Hand Park opens one hour prior to first pitch each day.
Follow The APSU Govs
This weekend’s series against Kent State is available on PeayStats.com for live scoring through the series or get important game updates on Twitter by following @GovsBSB.
Through The Lineup
Catcher Jack Alexander extended his hit streak to 7 games and his reached-safely streak to 18 games at Saint Louis. He is batting .478 (11-23) during the hit streak with 8 RBI. Alexander has been held without a hit twice this season: February 22nd at Southern Illinois and March 11th against Eastern Kentucky.
First baseman John McDonald’s reached-safely streak stands at 35 games (14 in 2022) – the 5th longest streak at APSU since 1996, tying Lance Wampler’s 35-game stretch (2000). Next up is Ryan Kane’s 40-game reached safely streak during the 2006 season.
With McDonald battling an injury, Ty DeLancey has started the last eight games at first base. He is batting .273 (9-for-33) with 5 RBI in 9 games since taking over at first base, including a current 6-game hit streak.
Second baseman Jonah Beamon has started to warm up at the plate in March, batting .318 (14-44) with 8 RBI this month. His season batting average has jumped 82 points to a .253 mark entering the midweek action.
Shortstop John Bolton is fighting through a four-game hitless streak (14 AB) that followed a five-game hit streak (March 9-15). He does have three walks during the current hitless stretch and is second on the team with 14 walks.
Third baseman Michael Robinson missed Sunday’s finale – his first DNP of 2022. He stretched his reached-safely streak to 10 games during Saturday’s doubleheader and has 11 hits and 9 walks during the streak. He is second on the team (behind Alexander) in batting average (.358) and on-base percentage (.489) this season.
Center fielder Skyler Luna went 3-for-9 with a walk, 2 stolen bases, and 2 RBI during the Saint Louis series. His 2-for-3 outing in Sunday’s finale was his third multi-hit effort of 2022.
Jeremy Wagner had 3 hits in the final two games of the Saint Louis series, finishing the weeked batting .429 (3-7).
TJ Foreman and Knaje Guthrie continued their returns from their respective opening weekend injuries. Foreman appeared on defense during Saturday’s doubleheader. Guthrie got his first hits since the Boston College walkoff win, going 2-for-3 with a RBI in his third game since returning March 16 against Evansville.
