CLARKSVILLE – (CLARKSVILLENOW) Right fielder Chase Hamilton hit two home runs to lead Austin Peay State University’s five home run outing in a 10-3 victory, Wednesday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (3-1) wasted little time jumping out front thanks to shortstop Kyle Wilson, who opened the bottom of the first inning with a home run. Hamilton followed two outs later with his own solo home run, giving the Govs a 2-0 lead.
The Governors padded that lead in the second inning 90-feet at a time. Third baseman Max Remy led off the frame with a walk and center fielder Imani Willis followed with a single. Second baseman Garrett Giovannelli drove in two runs with a single, the first of three straight singles that was capped by Hamilton’s RBI single for a 5-0 lead.
Third baseman Parker Phillips supplied a three-run home run in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 8-0. Willis hit his first collegiate home run in the fifth and Hamilton added a second solo home run in the sixth to conclude the Govs scoring.
Govs starting pitcher Josh Rye (1-0) did his part on the mound, tossing three scoreless innings and allowing a single hit while striking out three. Reliever Ricky Heagarty followed with two scoreless, hitless frames as the bullpen allowed just three runs on four hits while striking out seven.
Southern Illinois broke up the shutout bid in the sixth inning, scoring on a wild pitch before first baseman Logan Blackfan then drove in a run with a RBI single. Second baseman Connor Kopach tacked on a solo home run in the eighth.
Blackfan led the Salukis with a 3-for-4 outing, accounting for more than half SIU’s five hits.
SIU starter Allen Montgomery (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings.
Austin Peay next travels to nationally-ranked North Carolina State for a three-game series, beginning with a 2 p.m. (CT), Friday contest.