CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (ESPN Clarksville) Austin Peay State University’s baseball team rallied from a three-run deficit to force extra innings but fell 4-3 in 10 innings to Jacksonville State, Thursday night, in Ohio Valley Conference action on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
With the win, Jacksonville State (32-21, 20-8 OVC) takes a one-game lead in the OVC regular-season championship with two games remaining. Austin Peay (30-21, 19-9 OVC) will need to win the final two games of the series to claim the title.
Austin Peay and Jacksonville State resume their three-game series at 6 p.m., Friday. Austin Peay’s Jacques Pucheu (7-3, 2.53 ERA) will square off against the Gamecocks’ Isaiah Magwood (1-0, 4.34 ERA).
Austin Peay fell into a three-run hole through three innings and could not solve Jacksonville State starter Garrett Farmer through six innings. Shortstop Garrett Kueber was the only Govs hitter to reach base in those first frames, earning a walk in the first and hitting a leadoff double in the fourth
The Governors broke through on the scoreboard in the seventh with right fielder Parker Phillips’ leadoff home run to left field. His 22nd homer of 2019 cut the deficit to 3-1.
Austin Peay would rally in the eighth with back-to-back singles to start the inning.
Third baseman Gino Avros drove in a run with a single down the left field line. After shortstop Garrett Kueber loaded the bases with a single, Phillips stepped to the plate and earned a five-pitch walk to push home the game-tying run. However, Austin Peay saw its chance to take the lead denied as the Gamecocks turned a double play to end the frame.
After a scoreless ninth, Jacksonville State opened the 10th with back-to-back singles. First baseman Andrew Naismith earned a six-pitch walk to load the bases and second baseman Devin Brown drove in a run with a deep fly out to right. Governors reliever Brett Newberg would strike out the next two batters he faced to keep the Govs within a run.
Jacksonville State closer Christian Edwards struck out the first to Austin Peay batters he faced in the 10th before allowing a single to Avros. However, Kueber was called out on a check-swing third strike to end the game.
The Gamecocks won in their last at-bat for the fifth time in their last six games after squandering an early three-run lead. Center Fielder Tre Kirklin opened the game with a leadoff home run in the first and a pair of Govs defensive miscues aided in a second run scoring. JSU tacked on a third run in the third, capitalizing on a leadoff base hit when catcher Nic Gaddis doubled down the left field line.
Newberg (2-5) was handed the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the 10th, completing 1.1 innings of work and striking out two. Starter Josh Rye went three innings and allowed three runs on five hits.
Phillips finished the day 1-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Austin Peay offense. Avros and Kueber also had two hits each. The three runs scored was Austin Peay’s lowest run total in a conference game since the UT Martin series opener, April 20.
Gaddis and Alexander each went 2-for-5 with an RBI to lead Jacksonville State’s offense. Edwards (6-5) picked up the victory with two scoreless innings of relief, striking out three. JSU starter Garrett Farmer was left with no decision, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out a career-high tying 12 batters in 7.1 innings.