Florence, AL – Pitcher Paul Rector struck out a career-high nine batters over 5.2 innings of scoreless relief, but the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team dropped Game 2 of its ASUN Conference series against North Alabama, 5-4, Friday night at Mike Lane Field.
Austin Peay State University (24-30, 14-15 ASUN) enters the regular season’s final day in eighth place but just one game ahead of a three-team tie in ninth place. North Florida, Central Arkansas, and Kennesaw State sit at 13-16 in league action. The Governors retain control of their destiny with a win assuring them a spot in next week’s ASUN Conference Baseball Championship.
The Governors jumped out front early, scoring three runs in the first inning. Designated hitter Lyle Miller-Green’s one-out double started the rally, and the APSU Govs had two runners aboard when right fielder John Bay stepped to the plate. He drove his fifth home run of 2023 over the left field wall to give APSU the 3-0 advantage.
North Alabama (14-36, 8-21 ASUN), which won its fifth straight conference game, responded in its half of the first. Second baseman Jackson Ferrigno hit a leadoff double, right fielder Jonathan Lane was hit by a pitch, and first baseman Kyle Machado drove both runners in with his double, cutting the APSU Govs lead to 3-2.
Austin Peay State University starting pitcher Jackie Robinson (1-2) retired the next three batters, striking out two, to stem the Lions’ rush. However, UNA shortstop Drew Hudson tied the game with his leadoff home run in the second inning.
Again Robinson struck out the next three batters to keep the game tied. But Lane doubled to start the third inning, and Machado hit a home run to give North Alabama its 5-3 lead. Robinson would strike out the next batter, ending his outing after striking out six batters over 2.1 innings.
Enter Rector, who returned to the mound for the first time since the Tennessee game. He promptly induced a ground out and a strikeout to end the third. It set the tone for a stretch that saw him allow just one base runner to the first nine batters he faced. He went a career-best 5.2 innings and allowed just two hits and a walk, while his nine strikeouts were the most by a Governors’ pitcher this season.
However, North Alabama starting pitcher Kevin Henrich (2-2) bounced back from his rough first inning. He would allow two singles in a scoreless second and a one-out double in a scoreless third. But after shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar’s double, he would retire the next nine batters he faced before allowing Bay to single with one out in the sixth. He quickly erased that hit by inducing a double play to help the Lions carry their 5-3 lead into the seventh.
Austin Peay State University began to progress against Henrich in the seventh, with second baseman Jaden Brown hit by a pitch to start the inning. Center fielder Nathan Barksdale would add a one-out single, and left fielder Clayton Gray would move Brown to third on a fielder’s choice. Henrich would give the APSU Govs a run with a wild pitch and then walked Miller-Green and third baseman Ambren Voitik to load the bases and end his outing. Reliever Jacob James, making his second appearance of the series, retired Gazdar to end the inning.
James would repeat his performance the night before, retiring seven of the eight batters he faced, striking out four, and notching his third save. Henrich secured the win after allowing four runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings.
Robinson lost after allowing five runs on five hits in 2.1 innings, striking out six batters. Rector’s nine-strikeout performance pushed the Govs to 15 strikeouts on the day, the 21st time this season APSU has struck out double-digit batters in a game and moved the team to 492 strikeouts.
Bay led the APSU offense with a 2-for-4, three-RBI effort. Barksdale also went 2-for-4 as the Govs outhit UNA 8-7.
Machado paced the Lions with his 2-for-3, four-RBI performance.
Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University and North Alabama conclude the regular season with a Saturday 1:00pm game at Lane Field.
