CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (ESPN Clarksville) Austin Peay State University’s baseball team could not overcome an early home run barrage from Jacksonville State and dropped its regular-season finale, 13-8, Saturday afternoon on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (30-23, 19-11 OVC) turns its attention to the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Championship. The second-seeded Governors will face the winner of Tuesday’s play-in game between Eastern Illinois and UT Martin in a 4 p.m., Wednesday contest at Rent One Ballpark in Marion, Illinois.
Jacksonville State (34-21, 22-8 OVC) used a trio of home runs in the first four innings to build an early lead. Catcher Alex Webb opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning before designated hitter Alex Strachan added a two-run shot in the second. Webb then delivered the big blow in the fourth with a grand slam that gave the Gamecocks a 9-0 lead.
Austin Peay would battled back in its half of the fourth inning, scoring four times. Right fielder Parker Phillips hit a leadoff home run to start the rally. Center fielder Garrett Spain then hit a ball off the top of the wall in center field and raced around the bases for the Governors first inside-the-park home run since 2014. First baseman John McDonald added another solo home run before the Govs tacked on two more runs in the frame, closing to 9-5.
But the Gamecocks quickly responded with three more runs in the fifth, two on first baseman Andrew Naismith’s two-run double to put the game out of reach. Spain, McDonald, designated hitter Matt Joslin and second baseman Bobby Head each had two hits to pace the Governors.
Webb’s 4-for-6, two home run, six RBI outing led Jacksonville State’s offense which posted 16 hits. Govs starter Ryan Kouba (4-1) suffered his first loss of 2019 after allowing nine runs on eight hits while striking out seven batters in 3.2 innings.
JSU’s Dylan Hathcock (2-0) picked up the win with three scoreless innings in his start, scattering five hits.