CLEMSON, S.C. (ESPN CLARKSVILLE) – Pitchers Michael Costanzo and Brett Newberg did not allow a run after the fourth inning as Austin Peay State University’s baseball team used an early offensive onslaught to down No. 5 Clemson, 6-3, in nonconference action, Friday night, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Austin Peay (30-20) broke out to a 4-0 lead in the first two innings, using four singles to score two runs in the first before hitting a pair of solo home runs in the fourth inning. Freshman shortstop Bobby Head hit his first collegiate home run in the fourth followed by Garrett Giovannelli’s sixth homer this season.
Clemson (37-13) would answer back in the third inning. Tigers shortstop Logan Davidson reached base on an infield single, bringing right fielder Seth Beer to the plate. Beer would cut the Govs lead in half with a home run to right field.
The teams would trade runs in the fourth inning. Austin Peay hit back-to-back doubles, Head again supplying an RBI, in the top of the inning. The Tigers responded with a double and a single in the bottom of the inning.
Austin Peay would get a key insurance run in the ninth inning when first baseman Parker Philips drove his 18th home run of the season. He is now one shy of tying the Governors single-season home run record set by Nate Manning in 1996.
Costanzo (9-1) made the most of the early run support, scattering eight hits over his six-inning outing. He got stronger late, retiring the Tigers in order in fifth and striking out the final two batters he faced in the sixth inning.
Newberg would enter the game to start the seventh inning and would work out of jams in the seventh and ninth innings. Clemson would get the tying run aboard in the seventh after a leadoff single and a walk only to see Newberg strike out a batter to end the threat.
Clemson would piece together a bigger threat to the Governors lead in the ninth, using back-to-back two-out singles to bring the tying run to the plate in the form of cleanup hitter Chas Williams. But Newberg induced a line drive out to center field, ending the game for his season’s sixth save.
Head would pace the Governors offense with his 3-for-4 outing that saw him fall a triple shy of the cycle while batting in two runs. Giovannelli went 2-for-5 with a RBI and scored twice in the win.
Clemson starter Jacob Hennessy made just two turns through the Governors order in the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits in his 3.1 innings. Beer went 2-for-4 with two RBI while Davidson and catcher Kyle Wilkie each had three hits.
Austin Peay, which posted its first-ever win against a Top 5 ranked team, and Clemson continue their three-game series with a 3 p.m. (CT) contest.