CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay State University baseball team is back on the road this weekend as they prepare for a three-game series with the rival Central Arkansas Bears.

This will be the third conference series for the Govs, who will enter the weekend with a 12-13 overall record and a 3-3 mark in ASUN play. The Govs’ first conference series was against Bellarmine, and the Govs ended up taking the series two games to one.

Last weekend, the Govs played their first home conference series of the season against the Lipscomb Bisons. The Govs took the second game, but lost the first and third, and thus, the series.

After the Lipscomb series, the Govs went down to Alabama to take on the Crimson Tide for a midweek game. The Govs fought hard, but the Tide escaped with a 6-2 victory.

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Now, the Govs hit the road again looking to snap a two-game losing streak. Let’s go over what you need to know for this series.

What to know about Austin Peay vs. Central Arkansas

Entering this conference clash, the Central Arkansas Bears are 13-12 overall and, like the Govs, are 3-3 in ASUN play. This will be the first series between the rivals in 2026 after the Govs went 5-1 against the Bears in 2025.

However, this Central Arkansas squad is much improved over last year’s team. The Bears won just 20 games last season but already have 13 this season and it’s not even April yet. This improvement has largely been driven by pitching as the Bears have the best team ERA in the Gold Division of the ASUN.

Meanwhile, the Govs still boast one of the top offenses in the conference. Austin Peay has a team batting average of .282 and has drawn the most walks in the ASUN.

Austin Peay players to watch

Last weekend, the Govs gave D.J. Merriweather his first-ever starting pitching opportunity. Merriweather, the Clarksville Academy graduate, has been a versatile weapon for the Govs this year, pitching in multiple spots and even taking a few swings at the plate.

Merriweather threw four solid innings in his first start last weekend and the Govs won that game. It will be interesting to see if Merriweather gets another chance to start, or if he will come out of the bullpen against the Bears.

On offense, star third baseman Ray Velazquez is finally heating up. Velazquez is fourth on the team with a .292 batting average, is tied for second with five homers, and is batting at a .333 clip over his last four games.

The series will be at UCA in in Conway, Arkansas. Game one against UCA will be Friday at 6 p.m., while the second game of the series will be on Saturday at 4 p.m. The series finale is slated to take place on Sunday at 1 p.m., in what is an important series for the Govs.

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