RICHMOND, KY (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay baseball team traveled up to Richmond, Kentucky, to take on the rival Eastern Kentucky Colonels over the weekend. This series presented a perfect opportunity for the Govs to pick up some wins, considering the Colonels entered the weekend as one of the bottom ranked teams in the ASUN.
In the first game of the series on Thursday, the Govs received a couple of excellent pitching performances. Ryker Walton got the start and allowed just two runs and four hits over five innings work. Then, Brody Lanham came in and completely shut the Colonels down, allowing just one hit and no runs over four innings. The Govs went on to win that first matchup 5-2.
On Friday, the Govs’ bullpen couldn’t replicate Thursday’s performance, however, as their relievers allowed six runs after starting pitcher Cody Airington allowed just one run in six innings. The Govs plated six runs of their own but ended up losing 7-6 after a three-run ninth inning from the Colonels.
The rubber match of the series was on Saturday, and the Govs desperately needed to end the weekend on a high note. It didn’t start out pretty, as the Colonels held a 5-2 lead after three innings, but the game ended up being a back-and-forth affair with plenty of offense.
A four-run seventh inning from the Govs ended up being the difference in the end, and Jackson Hohensee got his first save of the season as Austin Peay escaped with a 12-9 victory.
The Govs won two out of three games in the series, which now gives the team its third series win of conference play. Austin Peay is sitting at 16-16 overall and 7-5 against ASUN opponents.
With a 7-5 conference record, the Govs are in a three-way tie for first place in the conference’s Gold Division with Lipscomb and North Alabama.
This week, the Govs will head to Cookeville to take on Tennessee Tech in a midweek tilt. Then, the Govs return home this weekend for a series against rival North Alabama at Raymond C. Hand Stadium.
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