DeLand, FL – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team advanced to the third round of the 2025 Atlantic Sun Conference Baseball Championship after its win against Jacksonville in Game Seven of the tournament by a score of 9-1, Thursday, at Melching Field at Conrad Park.
How it Happened
Top 2nd | Jacksonville took an early lead in the top of the second after the cleanup hitter, Blake Delamielleure, hit a solo home run to lead off the inning.
Bottom 3rd | The APSU Govs answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the third. Andres Matias led the inning with a soft single into shallow center field. He advanced one base on a John Bay single to right center. Then, with two outs in the inning, Gus Freeman singled through the left side of the infield to bring Matias home and tie it up 1-1.
Bottom 6th | Austin Peay State University rallied in the sixth to give Gavin Braunecker some run support in the bottom of the sixth. Cole Johnson led the inning with a double down the left field line that stayed fair by just a matter of inches. Brody Szako then drew a walk after working the count full.
Ray Velazquez was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Trevor Conley came up clutch after working the count full and putting one through the left side of the infield to give the Govs the 2-1 lead. Matias was the next batter, and he drew a walk to bring in another run to extend the lead. Jacksonville made a pitching change and brought in Blake Barquin to relieve Nick Anello, who came into the game in relief of the starting pitcher, Collin Rothermel.
He immediately gave up a run after getting Kyler Proctor to ground out with the bases loaded. Bay then came up and hit a high chopper over third base to bring home Conley and advance Matias to third. Cameron Nickens was the next batter, and he delivered a punch by hitting a sacrifice fly to deep right field, scoring Matias to extend the lead to 6-1.
Bottom 7th | Szako reached base safely on a throwing error by the Jacksonville second baseman, Jonah Shields. He would advance to second and move into scoring position on the play. Then, with two outs in the inning, Conley came up clutch again with an RBI single to right field to extend the lead to 7-1.
Bottom 8 | Proctor began the inning with a leadoff walk, and advanced to second on a bunt single by Bay down the third base line. Nickens flew out to deep center, allowing Proctor to advance to third base. He came in on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Freeman. Johnson then stepped up and drove in Bay on a fly ball off the bottom of the center field wall to extend the lead to 9-1.
Wrap Up
Gavin Braunecker picked up his 10th win of the season after throwing seven innings and holding the Dolphins to just one run. He improved to 10-0 on the season after striking out three batters, allowing just the one run to score on five hits and a walk.
Rothermel fell to 6-4 on the season after his five-inning start, where he struck out three batters and allowed four earned runs to score on five hits, four walks, and a hit batter.
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Next Up For APSU Baseball
The Austin Peay State University baseball team will face the winner of Game Eight of the 2025 ASUN Championship between Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast Thursday night. They will play in Game 11 of the tournament, starting on Friday at 5:00pm CT at Melching Field at Conrad Park in DeLand, Florida.
