CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (ESPN Clarksville) Outfielder Aaron Campbell supplied three RBI off the bench, but an early big inning proved too much for Austin Peay State University’s baseball team as it dropped game two of its series against Kentucky, 12-5, Saturday afternoon at Joe and Cathi Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Kentucky (2-0) again broke through on the scoreboard first, striking for six runs in the third inning. The top four in the Wildcats order did the bulk of that damage, stringing together four straight RBI scoring hits capped by designated hitter T.J. Collett’s two-run home run that just eked over the wall in right.
Austin Peay (0-2) would cut the deficit in half with runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Center fielder Garrett Spain doubled in the game’s first run in the third. Designated hitter Andrew Flaherty added a leadoff home run in the fifth. Campbell then added a pinch-hit infield single to drive in a run in the sixth.
The Wildcats would answer the Govs midgame charge by scoring in each of their final four frames to secure the game. The Govs would break through one last time thanks to Campbell’s base hit that filled the gap in right-center field, driving in a pair of runs.
Austin Peay starter Brett Newberg (0-1) suffered the loss despite sandwiching Kentucky’s big third inning between four scoreless frames. He would allow six runs (five earned) on six hits in five innings of work.
Kentucky starter Jimmy Ramsey (1-0) notched the win in a five-inning outing that saw him surrender two runs on three hits while striking out eight. Campbell went 2-for-2 with three RBI in his season’s first outing.
Spain and third baseman Malcolm Tipler, who each had two RBI in Friday’s season opener, followed with two-hit outings each in Saturday’s outing. Left fielder Ryan Shinn went 3-for-4 to pace Kentucky with Collett ending the day with three RBI as part of a 2-for-5 outing.
Austin Peay and Kentucky conclude their season-opening three-game set at 1 p.m., Sunday. The Governors will send redshirt senior Josh Rye to the mound to meet Kentucky freshman Dillon Marsh.