OXFORD, Ala. – (ESPN CLARKSVILLE) Second baseman Garrett Giovannelli’s four-hit outing couldn’t spark Austin Peay State University’s offense in an 8-2 loss to Jacksonville State in its opening game of the 2018 Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Championship, Wednesday morning, at Choccolocco Park.
Giovannelli led off both the first and third innings with singles and the Governors would eventually load the bases in both innings but were unable to break through on the scoreboard. He would tack on a two-out double in the fifth – his 26th this season – and a ninth-inning single in a 4-for-5 outing that was his third four-hit day of the season.
Austin Peay (30-25) was unable to break through in the first inning despite loading the bases with one out. Jacksonville State starter Garrett Farmer battled back with consecutive strikeouts to end the threat.
Jacksonville State (30-23) would take the momentum Farmer provided and struck for three runs in the bottom of the first. Designated hitter Trent Simpson would drive in a run with a single and shortstop Isaac Alexander tacked on two more with a two-out single for an early 3-0 lead.
Jacksonville State would respond with the game’s next five runs, four coming off home runs. Center fielder Taylor Hawthorne, third baseman Cole Frederick and first baseman Alex Strachan hit homers in the third, fourth and sixth innings, respectively as the JSU lead expanded to 8-2.