Cookeville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team beat Tennessee Tech by a score of 13-3 Tuesday in their midweek matchup at Bush Stadium in Cookeville, Tennessee.
Aaron Lewis had his first start of the season for the APSU Govs. He went 3.0 innings with two strikeouts, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks.
Drew Mattox started on the hill for the Golden Eagles for his second start of the year. He went 2.0 innings with two strikeouts, allowing one run on two hits and one walk.
How it Happened
Top 2nd | Austin Peay State University found the run column first in the contest, starting in the second inning on two outs. The first two Govs were retired on eight pitches, but they answered by getting a pair of runners on base, starting with a walk from Brody Szako. He went first to third on a single to right from Ray Velazquez. Andres Matias then got the APSU Govs on the board with a single to left center, scoring Szako for the 1-0 lead.
Bottom 2nd | Lewis got the first two Eagle batters in the second to fly out, but then Jackson Green doubled to right for Tennessee Tech’s first hit of the game. Nicho Jordan followed up with a walk to bring up Aaron Moffitt. He then singled up the middle to bring in Green and tie the game, 1-1.
Top 3rd | Nick Vaccaro began the inning on the mound for the Golden Eagles to face the top of the Governors lineup. Kyler Proctor and John Bay had back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Cameron Nickens then had a four-pitch walk to load the bases for Cole Johnson. Johnson doubled down the left field line to clear the bases and give the Govs the 4-1 lead.
Bottom 3rd | Owen Lee began the inning with a flyout, then Preston Steele hit a solo home run down the left field line to cut the lead in half, 4-2.
Top 4th | Matias led the fourth off with a single up the middle, reaching base safely for the second time. With an out in the inning, Proctor doubled to left center, scoring Matias all the way from first. Bay then hit a towering home run out to left center for the two-run shot. After a pitching change and a strikeout, Gus Freeman hit his fifth home run of the season to left center, extending the Govs lead to 8-2.
Top 5th | The APSU Govs struck again with two outs to start the inning. Matias doubled to right center and then scored on a single from Trevor Conley to the opposite field, extending the Govs lead 9-2.
Top 7th | Johnson led off the seventh with a solo home run to right center. He was followed by a back-to-back homer from Szako on a shot to left center, extending the lead to 11-2.
Bottom 7th | Brody Lanham began the seventh inning on the mound for the Govs and was greeted by Jordan at the plate. He led off the inning with a solo home run down the right field line for the Golden Eagles’ final run of the game.
Top 8th | APSU went back-to-back again to lead off the eighth. Proctor led off with a homer down the right field line, followed by Bay with a solo shot to dead center.
Wrap Up
Kade Foulke picked up his first win of the season and improved to 1-0 after throwing 3.0 innings in relief, striking out five batters. He did not allow a run, giving up just one hit and walking one batter.
Vaccaro was given the loss to fall to 0-1 on the year after throwing just a third of an inning. He allowed three runs to score on three hits and a walk.
Notables
Johnson: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, BB, 4 RBI, R – Made first career start at first base.
Bay: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R – First multi-home run performance this season.
Proctor: 3-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R.
Matias: 3-for-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R
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Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University baseball team returns home to face Southern Indiana in a midweek rematch on Wednesday starting at 12:00pm CT at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond Hand C. Park. The midweek contest will be streamed on ESPN+.
