Clarksville, TN – Left fielder Clayton Gray and right fielder Lyle Miller-Green each homered to help the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team rally from an early deficit, but Western Illinois manufactured a late run to spoil the Govs’ season opener, 6-5, Friday morning on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (0-1) faced a five-run deficit entering its half of the third inning. Gray provided the Govs’ first run with his solo home run down the right-field line. Miller-Green trimmed the remaining deficit in half with his two-run homer to left-center field in the fifth inning. Pinch hitter Ambren Voitik would cap the APSU Govs’ four-run fifth inning with an RBI single, tying the game 5-5.
Western Illinois (1-0) would break the tie in the eighth inning, taking advantage of the Govs hitting leadoff batter Jackson Horn. Second baseman Max Slavens moved the runner with a sacrifice bunt before shortstop Trevor Leon doubled down the right-field line to drive in Horn for the 6-5 lead.
Austin Peay State University threatened in its half of the eighth inning with leadoff hitter Brody Szako reaching on an infield single. The APSU Govs moved the potential tying run to third base, but reliever Caden Kratz escaped without allowing the run.
Reliever Luke Rolland (0-1) lost in his Governors debut. He went two-plus innings and allowed a run on two walks and a hit batsman while striking out four batters. Opening Day starter Jacob Weaver went five innings and allowed four earned runs on five hits while striking out six batters.
Miller-Green went 2-for-3 with a double and home run before being intentionally walked twice. Gray was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Center fielder John Bay also had a two-hit day.
Western Illinois catcher Adam Juran helped the Leathernecks build their early 5-0 lead with an RBI double in the first and a three-run home run in the third in a 2-for-5, four RBI effort. Left fielder Maxton Polad had hits in his first three at-bats and finished the day 3-for-5 with a double and RBI.
Reliever Cole Dale (1-0) tossed a scoreless seventh inning to notch his first win. Kratz followed with two scoreless innings to pick up the save.
Austin Peay State University and Western Illinois continue the three-game series with a Saturday 2:00pm game.
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Notably
Home-Run Tape Measures: Gray’s solo shot went 364 feet down the right-field line and over “Bachman’s Tree.” Miller-Green hammered his homer an estimated 407 feet – had the Corlew Vision Videoboard not halted its travel.
Miller-Green High Life: LMG’s home run was his 17th in his 59th game as a Governor. However, his two intentional walks were only the fourth and fifth of his APSU career.
Deep Gray: Gray’s solo home run was his sixth career home run and his fourth to lead off an inning.
15 K Start: While the scoreboard didn’t go its way, Austin Peay State University’s pitchers accumulated 15 strikeouts in the season opener. Weaver led the charge with six strikeouts, and Rolland followed with four strikeouts. Jackie Robinson struck out two of the four batters he faced in front of Titan Kennedy-Hayes, who struck out three of the four batters he faced.
Unable to Shake the Opening Bug: The season-opening loss extended the Govs winning drought in both season and home openers. The APSU Govs have not won a season opener since 2018 and have gone winless in their home opener since 2017. But on the bright side, APSU has won Game No. 2 in the last two seasons.
