Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team extended its win streak to three games after taking games two and three of the series against Purdue Fort Wayne after outscoring the Mastodons 12-3, Sunday at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
APSU defeated Purdue Fort Wayne 6-2 in the first game and followed up with a commanding 6-1 win in the second.
Game 1 of DH
Cody Airington had his second start of the season, going six innings with four strikeouts, allowing just one run on three hits and one walk.
Zane Danielson got the nod for the ‘Dons for his second start of the year. He went 5.2 innings with just one strikeout, allowing one run on five hits and three walks.
How it Happened
Bottom 1st | John Bay picked up the Govs’ first hit of the ballgame in back-to-back games with a double to right field. It was his third double of the season and the third of the series.
Bottom 5th | The bats would stay cold on both sides until the bottom half of the fifth, where Andres Matias hit his first home run as a Governor to put Austin Peay on the board first, 1-0.
Top 6th | The Mastodons would strike back quickly. Sage Adams led off the inning with a single. A pass ball on Keaton Cottam advanced the runner, but a Camden Karczewski single put runners on the corners. Justin Osterhouse then grounded out but brought in Adams for Purdue Fort Wayne’s first run of the game.
Bottom 6th | Mark Luke would replace Danielson on the mound and was able to escape a bases-loaded jam from a Gus Freeman single and a pair of walks from Kyler Proctor and Cottam.
Top 7th | DJ Merriweather relieved Airington to start the inning. He struck out two batters in the inning but allowed a run to score on an RBI single from Brooks Sailors and give the lead back to the Mastodons, 1-2.
Bottom 7th | Nathan Barksdale led the bottom half off with a single through the ride side. Bay then walked but got out on the bases after being struck by a batted ball from Cameron Nickens. Austen Jaslove then walked, and Cole Johnson brought in Barksdale on an infield single to tie the game 2-2.
Top 8th | Kaleb Applebey entered the game for Merriweather and struck out the side after a single and a walk to Nick Hockemeyer and Osterhouse.
Bottom 8th | Carson Caudill relieved Luke after Matias was hit by a pitch. He later scored on a 2 RBI single from Freeman, scoring Matias and Bay to give the Govs a 4-2 lead. Sean Kasper then came into the game in relief and allowed two runs on a Jaslove triple to score Freeman and Nickens and extend the lead to 6-4.
Game 1 Wrap Up
Applebey picked up the win to improve to 1-0 this season. He struck out three batters and did not allow a run in 1.2 innings of work.
Luke was credited the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season after throwing 1.2 innings, striking out just one batter, and allowing a pair of runs on three hits and two walks.
Game 1 Notables
Jaslove: 1-for-3, 3B, BB, 2 RBI – Hit first career triple.
Johnson: 2-for-3, BB, RBI.
Airington: 6.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 4 K, BB – First quality start for the Govs in 2025.
Game 2 of DH
Jacob Weaver had the start for game three of the series, going six innings with five strikeouts, not allowing a run on two hits and two walks.
Gavin Walters had his second start of the year for the Mastodons. He went 4.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks.
How it Happened
Bottom 3rd | Bay got the inning off to a hot start with a leadoff triple, his third of the season. Trevor Conley then came up and brought in Bay on an RBI groundout to first put the Govs on the board, 1-0.
Bottom 5th | Nickens got the bats going again in the fifth with a leadoff home run to left center for his third homer of the year. After a hit batter and a walk, Walters was replaced on the mound by Carter Orner. He hit Merriweather with a pitch to load the bases with two outs. He then walked Jaslove to bring in the Govs’ third run, putting them on top 3-0.
Top 7th | Gavin Braunecker came into the game for Weaver at the start of the seventh. He struck out the first batter he saw and later got a fielders choice and groundout to end the inning.
Bottom 8th | Mason Pangborn led the inning off with a walk but was recorded out on a fielders choice to the shortstop off the bat of Nickens. Bay then stepped up and hit his second home run of the season to the opposite field to drive in two runs and extend the Govs’ lead to 6-0.
Top 9th | Jackson Micheels tried to get the bats going for PFW in the last inning with a solo home run, but it wasn’t enough as Braunecker escaped the inning without allowing another run.
Game 2 Wrap Up
Weaver picked up his first win of the season to improve to 1-1 on the year. He pitched six shutout innings with five strikeouts, two walks, and two hits. It was the Governors’ second quality start from a pitcher, following the performance of Airington in game one of the Sunday doubleheader.
Walters was given the loss after throwing 4.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts, allowing three runs to score, falling to 0-2 on the year.
Braunecker earned his first save of the season after throwing three full innings to close the game. He struck out two batters and allowed just one run on three hits and a walk.
Game 2 Notables
Weaver: 6.0 IP, 5 K, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB – Second quality start for the Govs this season.
Bay: 3-for-4, HR, 3B, 2B, BB, 2 RBI, 2 R – Single shy of the cycle, and has a hit in every game this season.
Freeman: 1-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 R. – Carries five-game hit streak going into series finale.
Nickens: 1-for-5, HR, RBI, 2 R – Carries six-game hit streak going into series finale.
Johnson: 3-for-3, 2 2B, BB – Carries three-game hit streak into series finale.
Pangborn: 1-for-2, 2B, 2 BB – Collected his first career hit.
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Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University baseball team plays their home series finale against Purdue Fort Wayne on Monday at 12:00pm CT. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
