Clarksville, TN – Trailing 3-1 in the third inning, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team broke out the bats for 24 unanswered runs, including 14 in the sixth inning, to defeat Bellarmine 25-7 in seven innings Sunday in ASUN Conference action on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
First baseman Harrison Brown became the 13th Governors hitter since 1996 to post at least seven RBI in a game, going 3-for-5 with seven RBI. He hit an RBI single in the third inning, narrowing the deficit to 3-2.
Brown then hit a three-run home run in the six-run fourth inning, giving APSU an 8-3 lead. He capped APSU’s first turn through the order in the sixth inning with a three-run double, pushing the lead to 17-3.
Austin Peay’s (12-16, 5-4 ASUN) 25-run outburst was its largest run total since defeating Eastern Illinois 29-5 during the 2019 season in Charleston, Illinois. It is the first time the Govs scored 25 or more runs at home since downing Morehead State by a 26-4 score during the 2008 season.
Bellarmine (8-20, 3-6 ASUN) scored the game’s first two runs when center fielder Will Aubel and shortstop Luke Scales supplied RBI singles in the second inning. Designated hitter Colin Bertsch’s third-inning RBI single provided the Knights a 3-1 lead before Austin Peay’s offense began its 24-run rally.
Austin Peay State University reliever Peyton Jula (1-2) picked up the win while holding Bellarmine to one run on six hits over 4.1 innings. He struck out six batters, starting pitcher Zach Wyatt struck out four over 1.2 innings, and reliever Tyler Hampu struck out one in the seventh as the Govs struck out 11 in seven innings.
Bellarmine starter Gavin Bruanecker (0-6) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on eight hits in his 3.2 innings.
That Sixth Inning
Austin Peay State University sent 18 men to the plate in the sixth inning that provided the knockout blow Sunday.
The APSU Govs’ 14-run sixth inning on its own would be the second-largest single-game output by the Govs this season.
Shortstop Conner Gore, who made his first start since the Dallas Baptist series, led off the inning and ended it with a pair of singles, the only player to record two hits in the sixth inning.
Center fielder Garrett Martin hit a sacrifice fly in his first at-bat of the inning, then returned and hit a three-run home run in his second at-bat.
Right fielder Nathan Barksdale had an RBI double the first time through – the inning’s first RBI – and was hit by a pitch to push home a run in his second time up.
Other Notables
Austin Peay State University’s 23-hit day was its most since its record-setting 34-hit outing at Eastern Illinois in 2019. It is the 12th time since 1996 that APSU has recorded at least 23 hits in a game.
Harrison Brown’s seven-RBI outing came nearly a year after Michael Robinson drove in seven runs in a loss at SIUE on April 23rd, 2022.
Garrett Martin hit his 12th home run of 2023, moving into 12th on APSU’s single-season home run list. He reached the mark in APSU’s 28th game.
Every Governor hitter with an official at-bat – 11 batters total – recorded a hit Sunday.
Designated hitter Lyle Miller-Green posted his first four-hit day, going 4-for-5 with two RBI. It joined his five-hit outing on February 19th against Illinois State.
Third baseman Ambren Voitik hit his first APSU home run in the second inning and enjoyed his first three-hit day as a Governor.
Barksdale was 2-for-3 with four RBI – his first career four-RBI day.
Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University closes its five-game homestand when it hosts former conference foe UT Martin in a Tuesday 6:00pm outing on Maynard Field at Hand Park.
The Governors then return to ASUN Conference play with a three-game series against Kennesaw State, Thursday-Saturday, in Kennesaw, Georgia.
