Clarksville, TN – Playing in Clarksville for the first time in March, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team hosts long-running foe Western Kentucky in a Tuesday 6:00pm game that is the first Tropical Tuesday of the 2024 season on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
The Governors return home after going 3-3 during their six-game road trip, which included a series win at UT Rio Grande Valley and a victory in the three-game set at Auburn. WKU travels to Clarksville for only its third road game of the season.
The Hilltopper’s two previous road games were also midweek affairs, and they are 1-1 on the road this season.
On The Mound For APSU Govs
Lyle Miller-Green has wins in each of his first three appearances this season. Most recently, he picked up a victory in his first APSU relief appearance at UT Rio Grande Valley on March 3rd. In his two starts, the latest on February 26th against Gonzaga, he has held opponents to two runs while making it to the fifth inning or later.
First Hacks
Austin Peay State University center fielder John Bay belted his sixth home run of 2024 at Auburn as part of a 3-for-4, two RBI effort that also saw him score four times. It was his seventh multi-hit outing and fourth multi-RBI effort of 2024.
Right fielder/first baseman Harrison Brown has missed the APSU Govs’ last four games while working through an injury that has made him a day-to-day decision in the Govs’ lineup.
Utility man Jaden Brown had a hit in all three games of the Auburn series and extended his hit streak to eight games. His three RBI in the series finale at Auburn set his season best and his 10 RBI have all occurred during the streak.
APSU catcher Trevor Conley extended his hit streak to nine games with a base hit at Auburn in the series opener, Friday. However, he suffered an injury in that game and missed the series’ final two games.
Catcher Keaton Cottam made his first start as a Governor against UMES on Feb. 25 and promptly went 2-for-4 at the plate. He is batting 3-for-7 this season.
Catcher Gus Freeman returned behind the plate in the UTRGV series finale Sunday after missing the previous eight games. He appeared in all three games of the Auburn series after Conley’s injury and was 2-for-6 with two RBI.
Shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar was one of three APSU Govs with five hits during the Auburn series and he was 5-for-13 with two doubles and three RBI. He continues to lead the Govs with a .413 batting average this season
Austin Peay State University right fielder Clayton Gray opened the Auburn series with a 2-for-5, two RBI effort and followed that with a hit and two runs scored in Game 2 of the set. He is batting .474 (9-for-19) with six RBI and six runs scored in his last four games.
Lyle Miller-Green, the ASUN Preseason Player of the Year, went 5-for-10 at Auburn with two towering home runs. The Tigers also walked the APSU Govs right fielder five times and he posted a .667 on-base percentage in the series.
Justin Olson had only one hit in the Auburn series, an RBI single in Game 1 that gave APSU a 6-5 lead. However, he walked twice in each of the final two games of the series and scored twice in Game 2.
Austin Peay State University infielder Ambren Voitik notched his second four-hit day in the past seven games, going 4-for-5 with five RBI in the Govs’ March 9th win at Auburn. He also had four hits and hit for the cycle against Gonzaga on February 26th.
Infielders Andres Matias and Mateo Hernandez and outfielder Nathan Barksdale have been part of the Govs’ “Hands Team,” each entering the game defensively when the Govs leading late.
APSU Govs Top Notes and Notables
Three SEC Dubs
With its March 9th win at Auburn the Governors picked up their third victory against a Southeastern Conference foe this season. It is the fifth time in program history APSU has recorded three wins against the SEC in a season.
The 2024 Govs join the 1974, 1980, 1990, and 1996 teams with three SEC wins. This season’s version has one SEC game remaining on the schedule – a March 26th date at Ole Miss.
Govs Receiving Votes In NCBWA Poll
APSU was among the teams receiving votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association’s Poll for a third consecutive week, released Monday. It is the first time since 2013 Austin Peay has received votes in any of the four national collegiate baseball polls.
Streaking Back To 2013
The 2024 Govs’ nine-game win streak was the longest since a 16-win streak during a perfect month of May during the 2013 season. Despite seeing that win streak halted, Austin Peay State University’s 11-4 start is its best since that 2013 team, which went 13-2 in its first 15 games on the way to program-record 47 wins, while completing a Three-Peayt of conference championships, and advancing to the NCAA’s Bloomington Regional Final.
Hipping The Hilltoppers
Western Kentucky plays just its third-midweek game when it travels to Austin Peay State University Tuesday. The Hilltoppers opened their midweek schedule with a win at Lipscomb on Feb. 20 before falling at Kentucky on February 27th.
Those two games also have been WKU’s lone road games prior to Tuesday’s outing. WKU has played three straight four-game weekend series, including last weekend’s 3-1 series win against Milwaukee. The Hilltoppers went 3-1 against Purdue Fort Wayne in Week 2 before splitting a series against Wester Virginia 2-2 in Week 3.
The Hilltoppers were picked fifth in the far-flung Conference USA. Dallas Baptist was picked to win the league with familiar foes Liberty (2nd), Middle Tennessee (6th), and Jacksonville State (7th) also in the league for the 2024 season. WKU’s pitching staff was well represented on the Preseason All-CUSA Team, with starters Lane Diuguid and Dawson Hall, who were joined by reliever Mason Burns.
Hall is off to an impressive start with a 2-0 record, 0.50 ERA, and 14 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched over his first four starts this season. Diuguid has made six relief appearances for WKU this season with 12 strikeouts in 11.1 innings pitched. Burns is 1-2 with two saves and a 3.72 ERA in seven relief appearances.
The Hilltoppers are a crafty group as evidenced by their 25 sacrifice bunts and 20 stolen bases in the season’s first 17 games. Their 25 sac bunts are most among Division I teams and they are one of only three teams with at least 20 sac bunts in 2024.
Series Details
The Series: 165th meeting since 1933, WKU leads the series 97-66-1.
Current Streak: APSU, one win.
In Clarksville: WKU leads the series 37-28.
Notably: Austin Peay State University snapped WKU’s three-game win streak in the series with a 12-11 victory on April 25th last season. WKU has pieced together a 14-8 advantage in the series since 2009, including a 7-4 edge in games at The Hand.
Broadcast Information
Alex Gould will call the game on ESPN+, which is available online via paid subscription.
Follow Along
Keep up to date with all Governors baseball on the official website of Austin Peay State University Athletics – www.LetsGoPeay.com. Follow @GovsBSB on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for all Governors Baseball updates and ticket information as they happen.
