Clarksville, TN – Catcher Jack Alexander had two doubles and a home run as Austin Peay State University’s baseball team closed the 2022 regular season with a 13-5 Ohio Valley Conference defeat to Morehead State, Saturday, on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (19-36, 10-14 OVC) now prepares for the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Championship. The No. 8 seed Governors face No. 5 seed SIU Edwardsville, on Wednesday in an 8:00pm CT single-elimination, opening-round game at Wild Health Field in Lexington, Kentucky.
For the second day, the Governors scored the game’s first run. APSU second baseman Ty DeLancey was hit by a pitch with two outs and Alexander followed with a hit-and-run double that scored DeLancey.
Morehead State (27-26, 14-10 OVC) would take the lead with single runs in the second and third innings. Designated hitter Roman Kuntz delivered the go-ahead run with a solo home run in the third.
After the teams traded runs, Austin Peay would regain the lead in the bottom of the third with the help of a Morehead State error that helped right fielder Jeremy Wagner reach first base. Shortstop John Bolton then delivered his first home run as a Governor, the 385-foot blast to left field giving APSU a 4-3 lead.
Morehead State took the lead for good in the sixth, scoring seven runs following an Austin Peay State University error that extended the inning with two outs. Shortstop Colton Becker reached on the throwing error and third baseman Issias Guzman walked. Catcher Brody Shoupe then hit a home run to left field, driving in three runs for a 6-4 lead.
Austin Peay State University could not close the inning after the home run, with the next five batters reaching base safely. Second baseman Nick Gooden delivered the next big blow, his double to right center providing three more runs and a 10-4 advantage that Morehead State would not relinquish.
Alexander added a fifth-inning double and a solo home run in the seventh to cap his 3-for-3, two RBI performance. Bolton was 1-for-4 with two RBI – one of eight APSU Govs to record a hit in an 11-hit outing.
Kuntz finished 4-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored to lead Morehead State’s 14-hit attack. Gooden was 2-for-5 with three RBI and Guzman was 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Morehead State reliever Zach Miller (1-0) picked up his season’s first win with a scoreless fifth inning of work. Starter Alex Faka went three-plus innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
Austin Peay State University reliever Jacob Weaver (2-4) took the loss after allowing four unearned runs on a hit and three walks over two innings of work. APSU starter Drew McIllwain went 3.2 innings and allowed three runs on six hits.
