APSU Baseball comes up short against Kent State, 7-5

Clarksville, TN – Another early deficit was again nearly erased, but the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team dropped its series opener against Kent State, 7-5, Friday night on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

The Govs and Golden Flashes will resume and conclude their series with a noon, Saturday doubleheader at Hand Park. The change in schedule is due to rain forecast for the area Sunday.

After two scoreless innings Friday, Kent State (2-5) broke through in its half of the third as it sent nine batters to the plate. The frame opened with the first four batters reaching safely, right fielder Justin Kirby and first baseman Aidan Longwell each driving in runs with base hits.
 
Three batters later, a run scored on a fielder’s choice saw Austin Peay State University fail to record an out. Center fielder Collin Mathews made the APSU Govs pay for that failure with a three-run home run to left-center field, giving Kent State a 6-0 lead.
 
Austin Peay (6-4) would get a run back in its half of the third courtesy second baseman Jonah Beamon’s run-scoring single. But it wouldn’t be until the eighth inning that they would mount what has become their customary comeback.
 
In the eighth, the APSU Govs got the leadoff man aboard before the top of the lineup came to the plate. A single and a walk loaded the bases and third baseman Michael Robinson lined out to center field to drive in a run.

Then with two out, first baseman John McDonald drove in a run with a single and catcher Jack Alexander drove in two runs with his triple into the right-field corner, cutting the deficit to two runs, 7-5, and bringing the tying run to the plate. However, the Govs were unable to keep the inning alive as Kent State reliever Evan Wolf struck out a batter to end the frame.

Austin Peay State University starter Harley Gollert (1-2) struck out a season-high seven batters but allowed six runs on eight hits over five innings of work and took the loss.

Alexander led the offense with his 2-for-4, two RBI effort that included the team’s first triple of 2022. Avros and Beamon also had two hits each.

Kent State starter Richie Dell (1-0) notched his first win of 2022 after holding the Govs to one run on five hits while striking out seven over six innings. Longwell took the mound in the ninth and induced a double play and a fly out to post his first save.

Mathews led the Golden Flashes offense with his 2-for-4, three RBI day. Second baseman Mack Timbrook added two RBI in his 1-for-4 outing with both RBI coming on plays that did not result in a base hit.

Box Score

Kent State 7, Austin Peay 5

W: Dell, Richie (1-0) L: GOLLERT, Harley (1-2) S: Longwell, Aidan (1)