Clarksville, TN – Shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar and catcher Trevor Conley each drove in a run, but the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team could not keep pace with ASUN Conference co-leader Florida Gulf Coast, dropping a 12-2 decision Friday night on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay State University (22-21, 12-7 ASUN) kept pace early, matching FGCU’s second-inning solo home run by generating a run in the third inning. Third baseman Ambren Voitik led off the inning with a single, stole second base, and moved to third on a ground out. Conley drove a ball to right field, allowing Voitik to score and tie the game.
Florida Gulf Coast (31-11, 14-5 ASUN) took advantage of an Austin Peay State University miscue to take the lead for good in the fourth inning. APSU Govs starting pitcher Jacob Kush struck out the first two batters of the inning and notched his third strikeout when shortstop Jake Mummau swung at a pitch in the dirt, but the ball got to the backstop, and Mummau reached first base.
Right fielder Brian Ellis capitalized on the extended inning, hitting a home run to right field and giving FGCU a 3-1 lead.
Austin Peay State University would get a run back in its half of the fourth. Designated hitter Lyle Miller-Green led off the inning with a single. Gazdar drove him in with a one-out double and narrowed the deficit to 3-2. Second baseman Jaden Brown followed with a walk, but the APSU Govs could not score another run.
FGCU quickly added to its lead with three runs in the fifth inning, including first baseman Alejandro Figueredo’s solo home run. Designated hitter Jon Kinker drove in two runs with a single in the seventh inning, giving the Eagles an 8-2 lead. Outfielder Harrison Povey led off the ninth inning with a home run, and FGCU added three runs after an APSU error to set the final score.
Kush (5-2) allowed six runs on seven hits and four walks in a 4.2-inning outing that saw him strike out eight batters. Austin Peay’s five pitchers combined to strike out 16 FGCU batters but issued seven walks.
Voitik was 2-for-4 with a run scored to lead the APSU Gov’s five-hit offensive outing. Gazdar was 1-for-4 with an RBI, and Conley was 1-for-2 with an RBI.
FGCU starter Nick Love (3-1) allowed two runs while scattering four hits in 6.2 innings. Catcher Alejandro Rodriguez went 4-for-6 with two doubles and three RBI.
Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University baseball team and Florida Gulf Coast continue their three-game ASUN Conference series with a Saturday 1:00pm game on Maynard Field at Hand Park.
