NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? Austin Peay State University's baseball team scored six runs in both the first and fifth innings on its way to an 18-7 victory against Memphis in Game 3 of the NCAA Baseball Championship's Nashville Regional, Saturday afternoon, at Hawkins Field.
Austin Peay (40-21), which won its first NCAA Tournament contest, advances to Game 6 and will face the loser of the Michigan-Vanderbilt contest in an elimination contest, 2 p.m., Sunday. Memphis (36-27) is eliminated from the regional.
The Govs two six-run innings were separated by a three-and-a-half hour rain delay as heavy rain and lightning struck in the top of the fourth inning. In the first inning, the Govs sent nine batters to the plate with Jake Lane and Josh Kemph each posting two-RBI hits. In the fifth frame, Austin Peay sent 10 men to the plate with Matt Smith and Levi Cheshire each posting two-RBI hits ? Cheshire's a home run over the right field wall.
Austin Peay reliever Jeff Lykins (2-0) came on after the rain delay and allowed four runs in the fourth, but settled in and held Memphis scoreless over the next 3.2 innings to pick up the victory. He finished the game allowing four runs on nine hits and two walks over 4.2 innings. Starter Matt Reynolds allowed three runs on four hits over the first three innings before the rain delay forced his departure.
But the story was the Govs offense, as they pounded out 18 runs on 17 hits. Senior Jake Lane was 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Govs and five other Govs had two hits each as every starter had at least one hit. Levi Cheshire and Tyler Bullock each had two-run home runs.
Memphis starter Ben Grisham (4-4) was tagged for the loss after allowing five runs while getting just one out, allowing three hits and walking two. The Tigers used six pitchers in the contest, each allowing a run. Offensively, the Tigers were led by Adam Amar's 3-for-4, two RBI performance while Chris Kirland added a 3-for-5, two-RBI effort.
NOTES: Cheshire's home run was his season's second, but the first was an inside-the-park home run at UT Martin... Tyler Bullock hit a pinch hit home run in the eighth, his third home run as a pinch hitter this season... The Govs 40-win season is only the second in school history, the 1996 squad was 44-22... The win snapped a nine-game losing streak by Ohio Valley Conference members in the NCAA Tournament, the league's last victory was in 2002.
-AP-
