Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team split a pair of games to move to 10-5 on the year at home against St. Thomas, Saturday, at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Game 1 of DH
Cody Airington got the start for the Governors in game one of the doubleheader. It was his fourth start of the season. He went 3.2 innings with three strikeouts, allowing five runs on five hits and five walks.
Bryce Leedle had his third start of the year, going 4.1 innings with two strikeouts. He allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks.
How it Happened
Top 1st | St. Thomas got on the board first, putting up three runs in the top half of the first. With two outs and a pair of runners on base, Brigs Richartz hit an infield up the first base line to load the bases. The next batter, Joe Vos, walked to bring in the Tommies’ first run. Ben Vujovich then singled to right field to bring in two more runs to put St. Thomas up 0-3.
Bottom 2nd | DJ Merriweather started the second inning with a leadoff double down the right field line. Trevor Conley followed it up with a back-to-back double to score Merriweather for the Govs’ first run.
Bottom 3rd | John Bay led off the bottom half with a solo home run to cut the Tommies lead to just one run. It was his third homer of the season.
Top 4th | Airington recorded two quick outs in the fourth but allowed two runs off a single up the middle by Tanner Recchio, followed up with a home run from Matthew Maulik to extend the St. Thomas lead 2-5.
Bottom 5th | Kyler Proctor and Bay led the inning off by both collecting base hits. Cameron Nickens then walked to load the bases for the Govs. Gus Freeman then hit a ground ball to short and beat the double play ball to score Proctor.
Top 8th | St. Thomas scored another pair of runs in the eighth after a sacrifice fly and RBI single, which put the Tommies up 3-7.
Bottom 8th | The APSU Govs loaded the bases once again and scratched another run on an RBI groundout off the bat of Andres Matias.
Top 9th | The Tommies capped off their scoring with a sacrifice fly to go up 4-8.
Game 1 Wrap Up
Kody Dalen picked up the win to improve to 1-0 on the season. He went 3.2 innings with six strikeouts, allowing one run on one hit and three walks.
Airington was given the loss after 3.2 innings of work to fall to 1-1 on the season.
Game 2 of DH
Jacob Weaver got the start for the Govs in Game 2 of the doubleheader. He went 4.2 innings with two strikeouts, allowing five runs on eight hits and five walks.
Walker Retz made his third season start for the Tommies, throwing five innings with five strikeouts. He allowed five runs, one earned, on seven hits and two walks.
How it Happened
Top 2nd | The Tommies struck first in the run column for the third straight game with a bases-loaded RBI single from Adam Puder.
Bottom 2nd | The Govs rallied on two outs to score three runs. The first came on a throwing error, and the other two came on a two-RBI single by Proctor.
Bottom 3rd | Ray Velazquez collected his first RBI as a Governor with a single to left center, scoring Freeman to extend the Govs lead, 4-1.
Top 5th | The Tommies exploded at the plate in the top half of the fifth, plating four runs to take the lead. It began with an RBI double from Joe Roder, then followed by an RBI single from Max Moris. Vujovich then drove in two runners on a single to left center to make the score 4-5.
Bottom 5th | With an out in the inning and two runners in scoring position, Velazquez hit an RBI single to left, scoring Freeman to tie it up 5-5.
Top 7th | The Tommies would scratch a run on a sacrifice fly from Zan Von Schlegell to regain the lead, 5-6.
Bottom 7th | The Tommies’ lead would not last long, as the Govs plated three for a two-run lead. Nickens doubled to right center to lead off the inning. Freeman then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Nickens up to third. An error on Roder at first base allowed Nickens to score. A single and a wild pitch allowed two runners to move into scoring position. Matias would then fly one out to left field, but an error on Maulik allowed Velazquez and Paris Pridgen, who came in as a pinch runner, to both cross the plate and make the score 8-6.
Game 2 Wrap Up
Solomon Washington picked up his first win of the season to improve to 1-0 on the year. He struck out three batters over 2.1 innings of work, allowing no runs on just one hit and one walk.
Carl Cano fell to 1-1 on the season after getting the loss. He threw two innings striking out three batters, allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits and one walk.
Notables
Austin Peay State University had their first loss at home in game one of the Saturday doubleheader. Their record at home this season is now 9-1.
Ray Velazquez collected his first pair of RBI as a Gov in his 3-for-3 performance in the second game of the doubleheader.
Nickens’ 12-game hitting streak ended in game one but extended his on-base streak to 15 games (every game this season).
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Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University will play against St. Thomas in a Sunday 12:00pm CT game, at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond Hand C. Park. Tomorrow’s game will be streamed on ESPN+.
