Nashville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team took the series opener from Lipscomb by a score of 14-10 after a slugfest in Music City, Thursday, at Ken Dugan Field.
How it Happened
Top 3rd | Austin Peay State University struck first in the top of the third inning on a handful of hits and errors. John Bay was hit by a pitch to lead the inning. He reached second on a groundball to the Lipscomb shortstop, Kai Holm. Holm threw the double-play ball low to the second baseman, resulting in an error for the decision.
Cole Johnson brought in the game’s first run with an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Bay. Brody Szako was the next batter, and he doubled to the left center gap to bring in a pair of runs. Ray Velazquez then reached on a throwing error from the Bisons’ starting pitcher, Cole O’Brien.
Andres Matias was walked to load the bases later in the inning to bring up Kyler Proctor. He singled through the left side of the infield to bring in another pair of runs for the Govs, giving them a 5-0 lead.
Bottom 4th | Lipscomb took the lead in the bottom half of the frame after putting up an eight-spot. Gavin Braunecker recorded the first out of the inning on a foul out, but then gave up two runs after a double and a home run from Damion Kenealy Jr. and Jake Berg. Casey Sunseri then singled to center before coming home on a triple from Collin Goda.
Aaron Stelogeannis brought in Goda on a single to center to get the Bisons within one run. Parks Bouck later singled in the inning and brought in Stelogeannis to tie it up. Solomon Washington came into the game to relieve Braunecker before giving up an RBI single to David Coppedge. Holm then brought in a run after grounding out to Matias, and then Coppedge scored on a wild pitch to cap the inning, giving the Bisons a 5-8 lead.
Top 6th | The APSU Govs answered back two innings later, putting up another five-spot to retake the lead. Bay and Nickens both reached base after a one-out double and a base hit. Gus Freeman then drove in Bay on a single to left center. Freeman and Nickens both moved up 90 feet after advancing on a balk.
Then Johnson hit a ground ball through the right side of the infield to bring in a pair of runs. Freeman was originally called out on the play at home, but after further review, the call was overturned to tie the game. Trevor Conley later singled to left center to bring in another pair of runs to give the Govs a 10-8 lead.
Bottom 6th | Lipscomb scratched back and cut the Govs’ lead to one run after an RBI groundout by Kenealy Jr., making the score 10-9.
Top 7th | Bay led the top of the seventh with a walk before advancing to second on a groundout. Johnson delivered again with his fourth RBI of the night after doubling down the left field line, scoring Bay. Nathan Barksdale pinch-hit for Szako after he was hit by a pitch in his previous at-bat. He walked on four straight pitches before Velazquez hit his 17th home run of the season over the left field fence, putting the APSU Govs up 14-9.
Bottom 9th | The Bisons made a push in the final inning but only came up with one run in the inning. Berg and Keaton Mahan began the inning with back-to-back singles. Jacob Tobias brought in a run on a double play ball to Proctor, but that was all the Bisons could produce, ending the game by a score of 14-10.
Wrap Up
Chance Cox picked up the win after throwing 2.2 innings of relief for the Govs. He improved to 4-1 on the season after allowing just one run, none earned, to score on a pair of hits and a walk.
Joey Mitchell fell to 2-1 on the season after 2.1 innings in relief. He struck out a pair of batters while allowing five earned runs to score on four hits and a hit batter.
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Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University baseball team returns to Nashville to play the second game in their three-game series against Lipscomb starting on Friday at 3:00pm CT, at Ken Dugan Field.
