CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay baseball team entered this past weekend in desperate need of some wins. The prior weekend, the Govs were swept at home by the rival North Alabama Lions, and as a result, fell toward the bottom of the Gold Division.
Luckily, the Govs got to stay in Clarksville and regroup. The team welcomed in the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles for a midweek game, and the Govs ended up winning that contest 17-7. That set up a big weekend series between the Govs and the Bellarmine Knights.
In the first series between these teams, the Govs won two of the three contests, in Louisville. This time around, the Govs weren’t going to let a game slip away. Austin Peay took all three games of the series, outscoring the Knights 31-13 over the weekend.
These ASUN rivals got the series started on Friday with a doubleheader due to forecasted inclement weather for Saturday. In the first of Friday’s games, the Govs won in dominating fashion, run-ruling the Knights in seven innings and walking out with a 16-6 victory. Ty Wisdom and Kyler Proctor led the way for the Govs with three hits each, while pitcher Cody Airington got his third win of the season.
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In Friday’s second game, the Govs’ bats were quieter, as the team only scored five runs. However, the pitching was dominant for Austin Peay, as Ryker Walton, Gavin Alveti, and Jackson Hohensee combined to allow just two runs and nine hits, while striking out 12, in nine innings.
Finally, in Sunday’s finale, the Govs were boosted by a seven-run second inning. Clarksville native Paris Pridgen had three hits and scored three runs, while Alveti had another solid outing out of the bullpen and picked up his sixth save of the season. The Govs went on to win 10-5, securing their first three-game sweep of the season.
“I’m really proud of our entire staff and administration for staying positive and continuing to pour into our players,” head coach Roland Fanning said to Clarksville Now. “Our team is connected, and they care about each and about Austin Peay.”
After the weekend, the Govs are now sitting at 10-8 in ASUN play. As a result, the team is tied for second place in the Gold Division. This week, the Govs will make the trip up to Bowling Green to take on Western Kentucky on Wednesday before heading to Lipscomb for a weekend series.
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