Austin Peay Governors defeat Eastern Kentucky 13-9

From APSU Sports Information

Clarksville, Tn –Shortstop Logan Gray’s two-run home run in the sixth inning put Austin Peay State University’s baseball team ahead for good in a 13-9 Ohio Valley Conference victory against Eastern Kentucky, Saturday, at Raymond C. Hand Park.

In a game that featured four lead changes and two ties, Austin Peay (18-25, 10-10 OVC) entered its half of the sixth inning trailing 7-6. Designated hitter Matt Wollenzin doubled into the right field corner to start the inning. Gray followed with a two-run home run – his sixth in 2014 – to give Austin Peay an 8-7 lead they would not relinquish. Later in the inning, left fielder Ridge Smith secured the win with a two-run single for a 10-7 APSU lead.

The Govs would tack on three more runs in the eighth – two courtesy third baseman Alex Robles’ double and the third on catcher P.J. Torres’ double – to provide breathing room. The win secured the OVC series for the Govs as they improved to .500 in conference play for the first time since March 23rd when they were 3-3.

Eastern Kentucky (20-23, 9-11) scored the game’s first run on designated hitter Bryan Soloman’s RBI single in the first. Soloman would hit a two-run home run as part of the Colonels’ four-run fourth inning that gave them a 6-3 lead. The Colonels would use reserve left fielder Shea Sullivan’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly to gain an 7-6, their final lead of the contest.

Gray, who also had a two-run single in the second to give APSU its first lead of the contest, finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and enters Sunday’s series finale with six hits and six RBI in the first two games. Robles added a 1-for-3, three RBI effort while Smith chipped in a 1-for-2, two RBI performance. Designated hitter Matt Wollenzin was 2-for-4, including a solo home run in the fourth.

Reliever Jake Corum picked up the win after allowing one run – EKU’s sixth inning sacrifice fly – in one inning. Starter Jared Carkuff went five innings and allowed six runs on nine hits and five walks.

Soloman led the Colonels’ offense with a 4-for-5, four RBI effort. Right fielder TJ Alas was 1-for-5 with two RBI.

EKU reliever Myles Scott started the sixth inning and was tagged four four runs as he walked two and allowed three hits to the six batters he faced. Starter Brent Cobb allowed four runs on six hits through four innings.

Austin Peay and Eastern Kentucky will conclude their three-game OVC set with a rescheduled 11:00am, Sunday contest at Raymond C. Hand Park. That game time was changed due to the threat of thunderstorms in the area Sunday afternoon.