Austin Peay State University Baseball plays Bowling Green at the Hand this weekend

Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team returns home for the beginning of a four-game homestand when it hosts Bowling Green in a three-game series on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

The Govs and Falcons are scheduled to open the series with a Friday game that begins at 3:00pm before playing both Saturday and Sunday at 1:00pm.

The Governors saw their season-opening eight-game homestand interrupted by Mother Nature, which forced relocation of its Tuesday game to Southern Illinois. The change of venue also broke up Austin Peay’s win streak as four Southern Illinois pitchers combined to no-hit the Govs offense. Now, the Govs return home seeking to extend their two-game home win streak.
 
Bowling Green resumes its  17-game road trip this weekend. The Falcons began the season with a 2-1 series victory against Saint Louis – an upcoming APSU foe – in Hoover, Alabama. BGSU scored 35 runs in the series, needing only 11 extra-base hits (two home runs) to secure the win.
 
First baseman Adam Furnas had three of those extra-base hits in his 8-for-16, four-RBI weekend with a home run. Second baseman Nathan Rose went 5-for-12 with a double, triple, and six RBI.

New To The Hand

Austin Peay State University’s athletics department made two major changes to improve the fan experience this spring at Raymond C. Hand Park. First, new netting was installed that extends from dugout to dugout and is 30 feet high to protect the seating area and hillsides behind both dugouts. Fans are reminded foul balls may still enter the seating area but the new netting should provide a safer experience.

In addition, new chairback seating was installed behind home plate. The new reserved seating area provides additional seating space for fans along with cup holders for their ice-cold Coca-Cola products.

On The Mound

Friday | LHP Harley Gollert vs. RHP Gage Schenk
Saturday | RHP Drew McIllwain vs. RHP Owen Recker
Sunday | RHP Luke Brown vs. RHP Peyton Wilson

Through The Lineup

Catcher Jack Alexander started each of the season’s first four games. He hit two home runs (three-run and solo) in the Boston College series finale. It was his second multi-HR game as a Governor, joining a two-home run outing at Murray State last season.

First baseman John McDonald’s reached-safely streak stands at 25 games. He had a base hit in all three games of the Boston College series, including his 100th collegiate hit in the series opener. He then had a pair of walks at Southern Illinois to extend the streak.

Second baseman Jonah Beamon went hitless in his first two games as a Governor, but battled back with a 2-for-5 outing in the series finale. It included his first home run at Austin Peay, a two-run shot in the seventh inning.

Shortstop John Bolton knocked a double in all three games of the series against the Eagles, finishing the weekend 5-for-9 with four runs scored from the No. 9 spot in the order.

A NJCAA National All-Tournament Team selection in 2019, third baseman Michael Robinson opened his APSU career with six hits against Boston College, including a 3-for-5 effort in Game 2 with a game-tying RBI in the ninth inning.

Center fielder Skyler Luna has batted leadoff in all four games this season. He went 2-for-5 with two RBI in the Boston College series finale while scoring a run in all three games of the set.

Gino Avros made the move to right field with little effort in the season’s first week. He posted back-to-back two-hit outings to wrap up the BC series. He earned the walk-off walk in Game 2 then had two doubles and scored twice in the series finale.

With injuries to both Guthrie and Foreman, Jeremy Wagner stepped in to start the Southern Illinois outing. He was 0-for-3 but reached base in each of those three plate appearances courtesy two errors and a wild pitch.

Left fielder Knaje Guthrie worked a 10-pitch walk to walk-off the Eagles in the series finale, capping his first start that saw him go 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored.

Left fielder TJ Foreman started the season’s first two games and scored in all three games of the series, including the game-winning run in the series finale.
 
Austin Peay’s designated hitter spot was held hitless over the season’s opening week. Harrison Brown started at DH in Game 3 of the BC set and earned a walk and scored in the fourth inning.
 
The Govs pinch hitters are 3-for-7 with 3 walks and 2 HBPs – a .429 batting average and .667 on-base percentage. Ty DeLancey has reached base in all three on his pinch-hit appearances, including a game-tying two-run double in the Boston College series finale. In addition, Matt Joslin has reached base in all four of his pinch hit appearances.

Ticket Information

Season and single-game tickets are still available for the 31-game home slate. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance by visiting LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets or by calling the APSU Athletics Ticket Office at 931.221.PEAY (7329). The ticket window at Raymond C. Hand Park opens one hour prior to first pitch each day.

Follow The APSU Govs

This weekend’s series against Bowling Green will not be available on ESPN+. Fans wishing to follow along more discreetly may visit PeayStats.com for live scoring through the series or get important game updates on Twitter by following @GovsBSB.