OXFORD, Ala. – (ESPN CLARKSVILLE) First baseman Parker Phillips supplied a game-tying RBI then broke the tie two innings later with his second RBI as Austin Peay State University’s baseball team downed Jacksonville State, 7-4, in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both teams, Friday morning, at Choccolocco Park.

Austin Peay (9-6, 1-0 OVC) trailed 4-1 entering the fifth inning when it pieced together a game-tying two-out rally. With catcher Alex Sala and shortstop Garrett Kueber on base, right fielder Nick Walker doubled down the right field line to drive in both baserunners. One batter later, Phillips found paydirt in left field and Walker scrambled home, tying the game 4-4.

The Governors would break the tie in the seventh, again with two outs. Second baseman Garrett Giovannelli walked and stole a base before Phillips returned to the plate and hit a fly ball to deep center field that eluded the JSU defense and allowed Giovannelli to score.

Austin Peay would then tack on two insurance runs in the eighth when center fielder Imani Willis hit a two-run home run to left, setting the final score. The come-from-behind effort came just in time for APSU starting pitcher Michael Costanzo (3-0), who won the first road game of his career. The left hander surrendered four runs on a pair of home runs – a three-run third-inning shot by designated hitter Trent Simpson and a fourth-inning leadoff home run in the fourth.

However, Costanzo would respond by retiring the final eight batters he faced, three via a strikeout, to make it through six innings allowing seven hits and a walk while striking out nine. Reliever Brett Newberg took over and faced one more than the minimum over his three innings to notch his season’s first save.

Two days after being held to two hits in a loss at Samford, Austin Peay’s bats broke out for 12 hits in Friday’s win. Phillips went 2-for-4 with two RBI to pace the Govs with Walker, left fielder Andrew Flaherty and third baseman Malcolm Tipler also posting two hits each.

Jacksonville State (9-4, 0-1 OVC) finished with eight hits in the loss – their second home loss of 2018. Relief pitcher Tyler Wilburn (2-1) suffered the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in his two-inning outing.

Austin Peay and Jacksonville State are scheduled to resume their three-game OVC series with an 11 a.m., Saturday contest at Choccolocco Park. The Governors, who will seek their fourth consecutive series win this season, will send left-hander Jacques Pucheu (1-0) to the mound.