Morehead, KY – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team rolled to its third consecutive run-rule victory, overpowering Morehead State 16-3 on Tuesday at Allen Field.
How it Happened
Bottom 1st | After two quick outs on fly balls in the bottom of the first, JJ Dutton doubled to the right center alley before scoring on a two-run home run by Davis Germann, giving the Eagles an early 0-2 lead.
Top 2nd | The APSU Govs answered back very fast by putting up a six-spot in the top half of the next frame. Josh Furtado began the inning on the mound for Morehead, relieving the starting pitcher, Landon Waugh. He walked Brody Szako to lead off the inning before hitting Ray Velazquez with a pitch that was up and in. The two of them advanced one base on a wild pitch, and then both scored on a two-RBI single up the middle from Andres Matias. Keaton Cottam moved Matias into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher, which was thrown into the outfield, allowing Matias to move to third base.
Kyler Proctor then ripped a ball down the line to third and singled on the play, which brought Matias in to score. A failed pickoff attempt allowed both Cottam and Proctor to move into scoring position before John Bay was walked to load the bases. Gus Freeman was the next batter, and he flew out on a deep fly ball to left field, moving everyone up a base and scoring Cottam.
Furtado then walked Cole Johnson on four straight pitches before exiting the game and being relieved by Will Grimmett. Szako would be the first batter to face the new arm, and he would single to right center before being thrown out by Dutton in center field. But, not before Bay and Proctor scored before the final out was recorded, extending the Govs’ lead to 6-2.
Bottom 2nd | The Eagles responded by cutting Austin Peay State University’s lead in half in the bottom of the second. Griffin Olson would find his way on base with a single into the outfield and work his way around the bases by stealing second and scoring on a throwing error by Velazquez. This would make the score 6-3.
Top 6th | The bats would stay quiet from both sides of the field for the next three innings before the Govs put up another big number on the board. Bay came up with an out in the inning and launched his ASUN-leading 18th home run of the season to straightaway center field. Johnson and Szako were both put on base with two outs by free passes, with Johnson getting hit by a pitch and Szako walking on four straight pitches. Velazquez then came up and hit a long home run off the scoreboard over the left field fence, bringing in three runs to extend the Govs’ lead to 10-3.
Top 8th | Austin Peay State University capped their scoring off with their second six-run inning in the eighth. Freeman and Johnson began the inning with a single and a walk before Velazquez came up and hit a second three-run homer in back-to-back at-bats. Jonah Sibley entered the game in relief on the mound but allowed the next three batters to reach base. Cameron Nickens collected his first RBI of the night after watching three straight balls and then hitting a pitch up the middle to score Matias. Max Hotze relieved Sibley and got Bay to go down on strikes. But Freeman came up and delivered a two-out two-RBI base hit through the left side of the infield to make the score 16-3.
Bottom 8th | Kade Foulke began the eighth on the mound for the Govs and was able to get a pair of outs while allowing two baserunners to get on. After recording his second out, Shawn Scott came into the game for Foulke, making his first appearance since May 7 last season. He got Olson to go down swinging on strikes to end the game.
Wrap Up
Aaron Lewis picked up the win to improve to 1-2 on the season after 1.2 innings of relief work after replacing Chance Cox. He struck out a pair of batters and allowed just one hit in his outing.
Furtado fell to 2-3 on the season after throwing two-thirds of an inning for the Eagles, allowing six runs, two earned, to score. He allowed two hits, three walks, and a hit batter in the contest as the first out of the pen for Morehead.
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Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University baseball team returns home to face ASUN foe Central Arkansas in a three-game set for Senior Weekend, starting on Friday at 6:00pm CT at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
