APSU Baseball chases ASUN First Place, faces Eastern Kentucky at home this weekend

Clarksville, TN – With four weekends remaining, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team is still just one game out of first place. It looks to continue its push toward the top of the Atlantic Sun Conference when it hosts Eastern Kentucky in a three-game series, Friday-Sunday, on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

The three-game set begins with a Friday 6:00pm contest. The Governors and Colonels continue the series on Saturday at 2:00pm before wrapping up the set on Sunday at 1:00pm.

ASUN Scene Setter

Austin Peay

Austin Peay moved up to fourth in the ASUN standings after winning its series at Florida Gulf Coast last weekend. The APSU Govs have won five of their six ASUN series, including a series win against ASUN co-leader Jacksonville. APSU’s lone series loss was at Kennesaw State, another ASUN co-leader.

Eastern Kentucky

Eastern Kentucky saw head coach Chris Prothro take a medical leave of absence on March 25 and is 5-10 under acting head coach Walt Jones. After opening with series wins against Central Arkansas and North Alabama, EKU has lost four straight ASUN series, including last weekend’s set at Lipscomb.

Govs Top Notes and Notables

Awi-Inspiring April

Austin Peay State University has torn the cover off the ball in April, posting 46 of its program-record 106 home runs during the month’s first 13 games. The APSU Govs have batted an incredible .382 during the month, with five batters hitting over .400 during the month: John Bay (.429), Harrison Brown (.426), Gus Freeman (.414), Clayton Gray (.406), and Lyle Miller-Green (.400).

Austin Peay State University has scored 147 runs during the month, averaging 11.3 runs per game.

These Govs Absolutely Rake

Entering this weekend’s action, Austin Peay State University’s offense is producing at a historic pace. APSU enters the week leading Division I with 107 total doubles and is third in total home runs (99).

The APSU Govs lead the ASUN, rank among the NCAA Top 10, and are on pace to set program records in each of the following categories:

Beware The K

Meanwhile, Austin Peay State University’s pitching staff maintains its program record pace, averaging 9.76 strikeouts per nine innings. That rate is second-best in program history behind the 2019 staff’s 9.92 strikeout rate (556 Ks/504.1 IP). This season’s strikeout rate ranks 42nd among Division I teams and leads all ASUN squads.

First Hacks

Austin Peay State University center fielder John Bay hit his 17th home run of 2024 at FGCU on Sunday. He has an 11-game streak of safely reaching base, including 18 hits (.473 BA), 12 walks, and 3 HBP (.623 OBP). Bay also leads the APSU Govs with a .429 batting average and six home runs in April.

First baseman/right fielder Harrison Brown brings an 11-game hit streak into the week. He’s batting .425 (20-47) with six home runs, 13 RBI, and 16 runs scored during the streak. Brown had nine hits in his last four games.

Utility man Jaden Brown became the fifth different Govs batter to hit a grand slam this season, hitting his in the FGCU series finale Sunday. He enters the weekend on a 15-game hit streak and a 24-game reached safely streak. He is batting .407 (24-59) with 17 RBI during his hitting streak.

APSU catcher Keaton Cottam went 3-for-10 with two RBI and four runs scored in the two Tuesday outings against Middle Tennessee. He has eight starts at catcher and has a hit in six of those starts.

Catcher Gus Freeman caught all 26 innings at FGCU and caped his stay in Fort Myers with a career-best 4-for-5 effort, including a double, RBI, and three runs scored. He is batting .414 with two home runs in April.

Shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar is batting .429 (21-49) with eight RBI and 15 runs scored during his 11-game hit streak. He began the streak with six straight two-hit games and had two three-hit games at FGCU last weekend.

Austin Peay State University infielder Conner Gore has started at five positions (1B, 2B, 3B, RF, DH). He started at third against Middle Tennessee last Tuesday and in the FGCU series opener, going 3-for-9 with a double and home run in the two games.

Right fielder Clayton Gray hit his second grand slam of the season at Middle Tennessee on April 16th and finished the game with a season-best six RBI. He has a hit in 15 of April’s 16 games, with six home runs and 21 RBI.

Two-way man Lyle Miller-Green, the ASUN Preseason Player of the Year, is 10-for-11 with a double, triple, four home runs, and 13 RBI in his last two games. He went 6-for-6 with 6 RBI in the FGCU series finale last Sunday and followed that with a 4-for-5, 7 RBI effort Tuesday against Middle Tennessee.

APSU first baseman Justin Olson extended his hitting streak to five games with a 1-for-5 outing against Middle Tennessee on Tuesday. He is batting .409 (9-22) with three RBI during the streak.

Third baseman Brody Szako has seven hits in his last three games since returning from an injury that sidelined him for two games. He is batting .438 (7-16) in those three games with a double, home run, and three RBI.

Austin Peay State University second baseman Ambren Voitik saw his modest four-game hit streak end in the FGCU series opener. He is batting .484 (15-31) with three home runs, two doubles, nine RBI, and 10 runs scored over his last seven games.

Infielders Andres Matias, Mateo Hernandez, and outfielder Nathan Barksdale have been part of the Govs’ “Hands Team,” each entering the game defensively when the APSU Govs are leading late.

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 APSUs Baseball updates and ticket information as they happen.