Florance, AL – Left fielder Clayton Gray drove in five runs, but the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team could not hold on to a seventh-inning lead and dropped an 11-10 ASUN Conference decision to North Alabama Thursday night at Mike Lane Field.
Despite the loss, Austin Peay State University (24-29, 14-14 ASUN) remains eighth in the ASUN standings, holding the final spot in next week’s tournament field. The APSU Govs stay a game ahead of North Florida and two games ahead of Central Arkansas and Kennesaw State – all three teams lost their respective Thursday series openers.
Gray’s busy night saw him open the game’s scoring with an RBI double in the third inning – his 24th double of 2023. After UNA tied the game in the bottom of the third, Gray untied the game with a three-run home run in the fourth inning – his fifth home run of the season to give the Govs a 5-2 lead.
North Alabama (13-26, 7-21 ASUN), which won their fourth-straight ASUN game, sent nine men to the plate in the fifth inning to score six runs and take their first lead, 8-5. Left fielder Andrew Knight tied the game with a two-run triple, and center fielder Dominick McIntyre gave the Lions their first lead with an RBI double.
Austin Peay State University battled back in the sixth, with second baseman Jaden Brown opening the inning with a walk. Gray followed with a two-out walk, and designated hitter Lyle Miller-Green tied the game, 8-8, with a three-run home run to left-center field.
The Governors built a two-run lead in the seventh after first baseman Conner Gore led off with a double and Brown walked. Catcher Trevor Conley loaded the bases on a sacrifice bunt that failed to get an out. Center fielder Nathan Barksdale beat out a potential double-play ball at first, allowing a run to score. Gray then hit into a fielder’s choice, allowing a second run to score.
North Alabama quickly responded with its first two batters in the seventh inning; earning walks to put the tying run aboard. Shortstop Drew Hudson drove in both runs with a single down the third base line. Catcher Levi Jensen closed the scoring with a double that drove in Hudson.
Austin Peay State University got the leadoff batter aboard in the eighth inning when third baseman Ambren Voitik walked. But UNA reliever Jacob James would not allow another base runner, retiring the final six batters he faced to record his season’s second save.
APSU reliever Peyton Jula (5-4) took the loss after allowing three runs on two hits over the final three innings. Starter Jacob Kush went 4.1 innings and allowed six runs on five hits.
Gray went 2-for-4 with a double, home run, and five RBI – his first five-RBI game. Voitik, Gore, and Brown also had two hits each as the APSU Govs outhit the Lions 12-9.
UNA reliever Carson Howard (3-1) notched the win after allowing two runs on a hit and two walks in 1.1 innings. Lions starter Jacob Bradshaw lasted 5.2 innings and allowed eight runs on 11 hits and four walks.
First baseman Kyle Machado and Hudson had three RBI efforts for the Lions, who won their first ASUN home game this season.
Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University baseball team and North Alabama continue their three-game ASUN Conference series with a Friday 6:00pm game at Lane Field.
