EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – (ESPN CLARKSVILLE) For a second straight game, Austin Peay State University saw a trio of pitchers combine to post a shutout in a 7-0 Ohio Valley Conference victory against SIUE, Friday night at the Simmons Baseball Complex.
Starter Michael Costanzo (8-1) had to work his way through the first three innings, facing 13 batters. His biggest trouble came in the opening frame as he allowed a leadoff walk then hit a batter with one out. However, Costanzo induced a double play to end the threat.
Costanzo settled down over the next two innings, but again had to work out of trouble in the sixth. SIUE designated hitter Brock Weimer doubled with one out and left fielder Brock Hammit followed with a single, moving Weimer to third. But Costanzo again buckled down, striking out a batter before getting an inning-ending ground out.
Reliever Josh Rye, who threw six scoreless innings in a Tuesday shutout of Western Kentucky, tossed a scoreless seventh. He was followed by Ethan Clark who struck out four of the eight batters he faced to wrap up the shutout.
Austin Peay (27-19, 16-9 OVC) broke a scoreless tie in the third inning when first baseman Parker Phillips drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. The Govs doubled the lead one batter later when right fielder Nick Walker his a home run to right field.
The lead would be doubled again on one swing in the fifth when Phillips hit a line drive home run to left for two runs and a 4-0 lead. Austin Peay would add another three runs in the sixth with a pair of sac flies and a balk, setting the final score.
Austin Peay and SIUE continue their three-game OVC set with a 1 p.m., Saturday contest at the Simmons Baseball Complex. The Governors will send lefty Jacques Pucheu (6-1, 4.46 ERA) to the mound as they look for the series win. SIUE will counter with right-hander Kenny Serwa (3-4, 4.11 ERA), the reigning adidas® OVC Player of the Week.