Clarksville, TN – Left fielder Clayton Gray hammered a 3-1 pitch over the right field wall, and reliever DJ Merriweather retired the side in order as the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team overcame an early deficit to score an 11-10 Atlantic Sun Conference victory against Jacksonville Friday night on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (20-13, 8-5 ASUN) trailed until the sixth inning when it used right fielder Jaden Brown’s two-run home run to tie the game 7-7. The Governors took their first lead one inning later as first baseman Harrison Brown supplied the go-ahead run on a single to center field.
Jacksonville (15-17, 9-4 ASUN) put five consecutive men on base safely with one out in the eighth inning to retake the lead. Second baseman Justin Nadeau started the rally with a single and the Dolphins loaded the bases with a walk and a hit batsman.
A Governors’ pitching change was unable to stop the run. Right fielder Clayton Hodges singled to drive in the tying run before designated hitter Chandler Howard’s single drove in two runs, giving Jacksonville a 10-8 lead
The Governors immediately responded in kind. Second baseman Ambren Voitik doubled to start the bottom of the eighth. Catcher Gus Freeman followed with a line drive to left field that was initially ruled an out.
But after an umpire’s conference, the ball was ruled not to have been caught, and Freeman was awarded a single. Gray then stepped up and delivered his go-ahead home run, giving APSU an 11-10 lead.
Austin Peay State University then turned to Merriweather to close the door, and he did just that with a popout to second base, a groundout back to the mound, and a strikeout to secure his first save.
The APSU Govs five home run day pushed them to 80 home runs this season. They are five homers shy of setting the program’s single-season mark of 84 home runs set during the 2017 season.
Harrison Brown led the APSU Govs with his 3-for-5, two home run, three RBI performance. He hit home runs in his first two at-bats, leading Austin Peay State University’s five-home-run day. Voitik had a home run as part of his 2-for-4 effort, including a double. Jaden Brown’s home run completed a 2-for-4, three BRI performance. Gray’s game-winning home run capped his 2-for-5 outing, including a double.
Reliever Titan Kennedy-Hayes (1-0) notched his first win with 0.2 innings of scoreless relief in the eighth inning but allowed all three runners he inherited to score. Austin Peay State University starter Jacob Weaver did not factor into the decision after allowing six runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings.
Jacksonville center fielder Will Gale could not be kept off the bases, going 3-for-5 with a triple, walk, and four runs scored. Hodges was 3-for-5 with three RBI. Dolphins reliever Isaiah Williams (3-2) lost after allowing three runs on five this in the eighth.
The Austin Peay State University baseball team, which won its fourth straight game and third-straight ASUN outing, resumes its series against the Dolphins with a Saturday 2:00pm contest at The Hand.
It is “Boots, Beer, and Baseball” Day with local beer distributors on site for fans to enjoy. Tickets are available online at Ticketmaster.com or at the Hand Park Ticket Booth.
