Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team improved to 11-5 on the year after winning the series finale against St. Thomas by a score of 15-14, Sunday at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Lyndon Glidewell took the mound for the Govs in his fourth appearance and third start of the season. He went five innings with two strikeouts, allowing seven runs on nine hits and two walks.
Jacob Mrosko had his second season start for the Tommies, going 0.1 innings with one strikeout. He allowed six runs on four hits and one walk.
How it Happened
Bottom 1st | Austin Peay State University put on a clinic at the plate in the first inning, scoring six. Kyler Proctor doubled to lead off the game and then scored on a Cameron Nickens double off the top of the wall in center. Gus Freeman was hit by a pitch to get on base. A throwing error on the catcher, Max Moris, allowed Nickens to score from second. Cole Johnson then walked, and Ray Velazquez singled through the left side to bring Freeman across the plate. The next batter, Andres Matias, homered on a two-strike count for a three-run shot to make it 6-0.
Top 2nd | Joe Vos reached base by walking with one out. After getting the second out in the inning, Zan Von Schlegell hit a two-run home run to left to bring the score to 6-2.
Bottom 2nd | The Govs retaliated by scoring two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Nickens singled with one out in the inning, and Freeman walked to put runners at first and second. The Govs put on the double-steal and successfully moved both runners in scoring position. Johnson came up and delivered with a sacrifice fly to bring in Nickens. Velazquez also delivered with an RBI single through the left side of the infield to score Freeman and make the score 8-2.
Top 3rd | The Tommies collected three straight one-out singles to load the bases. Brigs Richartz then grounded out to first to bring in a run and make the score 8-3.
Top 4th | Von Schlegell singles with an out in the inning, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Adam Puder then doubled down the left field line to bring in Von Schlegell. Puder advanced to third on a groundout and then scored on a base hit from Ben Vujovic to make the score 8-5.
Bottom 4th | Nickens led the inning with a leadoff walk. He advanced to second after Freeman was hit by the pitch in his at-bat. Johnson laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Velazquez once again stepped up to the plate and drove in another run on a groundout to make the score 9-5.
Top 5th | The Tommies started the fifth off with a single and a double from Moris and Richartz to put runners into scoring position. Vos then grounded out to Matias to bring in Moris. Max Nyrop would then hit a fly ball to right to bring in Richartz on the sacrifice fly to make the score 9-7.
Top 6th | Campbell Holt relieved Glidewell at the start of the sixth. He would hit the first batter he saw and then walked Recchio. Vujovich reached on an error from Holt on the sacrifice bunt attempt. Holt then walked in a run before being relieved on the mound by Cannon Rice. The Tommies would score another four runs in the inning on two sacrifice flies, a walk, and a base hit, giving St. Thomas the 9-12 lead.
Bottom 6th | Zak Endres would begin the inning on the mound for St. Thomas. He walked Nickens and then hit Freeman with a pitch, his third hit-by-pitch in the game. Velazquez came up to the plate with an out in the inning and grounded out to bring in Nickens for his fourth RBI of the day. Matias then doubled to the left-center gap to score Freeman, making it a one-run game, 11-12.
Top & Bottom 7th | The Tommies and Governor both scored a pair of runs in the seventh. Vos had a two-RBI single to score both Tommies in the top half. John Bay collected his first hit of the game with an RBI double to left field, and Nickens had an RBI single to center.
Bottom 8th | The APSU Govs were able to put a zero in the Tommies eighth, allowing for a big punch at the plate to turn the game around. Matias and Paris Pridgen both singled to start the inning. A throwing error on Max Skilbeck allowed the two runners to both move into scoring position. Proctor was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Bay struck out for the second out of the inning. But Nickens came to the plate and delivered a two-run double to retake the lead, 15-14, which would hold for the Govs win.
Wrap Up
Chance Cox picked up the win to improve to 1-0 on the year, after throwing 2.2 innings with two strikeouts. He did not allow a run to score, giving up just one hit and walking two batters.
Skilbeck was given the loss to fall to 1-1 on the season. He threw one inning with two strikeouts, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk.
Notables
- Nickens: 4-for-4, 2B (2), 2 BB, 4 RBI – Second four-hit game this season.
- Matias: 4-for-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI – Second multi-RBI performance this season.
- Velazquez: 2-for-5, 4 RBI – Second multi-RBI performance this season.
- Cox: 2.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 K, 2 BB – Picked up his first win since May 21, 2023, at Cowley County CC against Johnson County CC.
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Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Governors will play a midweek game against Southern Indiana on Tuesday beginning at 5:00pm CT at the USI Baseball Field in Evansville, Indiana.
