CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) First baseman Dre Gleason and right fielder Chase Hamilton hit back-to-back home runs to lift Austin Peay State University’s baseball team to a 6-2 Ohio Valley Conference victory against Belmont, Saturday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.

After two scoreless frames to start the contest, Belmont (14-15, 9-5 OVC) broke through in the third when catcher Clay Payne led off the inning with a home run to left. It would be the only run allowed by Austin Peay starter Brett Newberg, who would strand two on base in that third inning to thwart the Bruins looming scoring threat.

Austin Peay (14-16, 6-8 OVC) rallied to tie the game in its half of the third. Center fielder Imani Willis started the rally with a two-out single, then stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Second baseman Garrett Giovannelli then delivered a single to tie the game, 1-1.

The tie would last just one frame, Austin Peay breaking the deadlock with the long ball. Gleason and Hamilton hit back-to-back home runs with one out in the fourth to give the Govs a 3-1 lead. Willis would later deliver a two-out single to supply another run for a 4-1 advantage.

That would be enough for Newberg (2-0) who picked up his second straight OVC victory, holding the Bruins to one run on three hits in his five-inning outing. Reliever Zach Neff tossed the final four innings for his season’s second save, striking out six of the 16 batters he faced.

For the second-straight game, a Govs hitter finished 4-for-4 at the plate as Willis hit the mark Saturday, including a double and two RBI, after Giovannelli notched the feat in Friday’s opener. Gleason chipped in two RBI with his 1-for-3 effort that included a home run and sacrifice fly.

Belmont starter Dylan King (2-4) was tagged for four runs (three earned) on six hits over his four-inning outing and was tagged for the loss.
Left fielder Alex Ward and Payne, respectively batting eighth and ninth order, had the Bruins lone RBI.

Austin Peay and Belmont wrap up their three-game OVC series with a 1 p.m., Sunday contest at Raymond C. Hand Park.