CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. ? It was a rough day for the defense and pitching staff as Austin Peay State University's baseball team dropped a pair of contests, Monday, in the Governors Baseball Classic at Raymond C. Hand Park. The Govs dropped their opener, 5-4, to Bradley before suffering a 12-4 defeat to Dayton in the nightcap. Dayton won classic's opener, 5-4, against Bradley.

In its first game, Austin Peay (5-5) took advantage of a shaky start by Bradley pitcher Rob Scahill and was up 2-0 after the first inning. However, that lead was halved in the second on right fielder Colby Luttrell's leadoff home run in the second inning. A pair of Governors errors led to the Braves second run in the third frame.

The Govs rallied back with four hits in the fifth inning, but mustered only one run in the outburst ? that coming on first baseman Matt Kole's RBI single. Bradley (5-4) responded with its own rally in the seventh, sending eight men to the plate and scoring three runs to take a 5-3 lead. Austin Peay had an opportunity in the ninth as Hill tripled off the wall in right center on Farrar's sacrifice fly to cut the lead to one run. But with two men on and two outs, the Govs could not find the hit needed to extend the game.

APSU starter Stephen Huff (1-1) was left with the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out five over 6.2 innings. Hill, Farrar and Kole each had two hits for the Govs who pounded out 10 hits in the game.

Scahill (3-0) survived his first inning problems to pick up the victory after a strong 7.2 innings of work which saw him surrender three runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out seven batters. Kori Jensen came on in relief to record the final four outs ? allowing the one unearned run in the ninth ? for his season's first save. Lutrell was 3-for-3 with 2 RBI in the game and finished the day 5-for-5 with three walks in his eight plate appearances.

Austin Peay jumped out a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap with Dayton. The Govs scored twice on right fielder Will Hogue's single, Hill scoring on the hit and Farrar coming home as the Flyers committed a pair of errors on the play.

Dayton (6-2) was held in check by Austin Peay starter David Vicini through the first two innings as they had just one baserunner and struck out four times. But from the third inning on, the Flyers had plenty of baserunners, stranding 14 as the Govs pitching corps surrendered five hit batsmen ? Vicini was charged with four ? and permitted nine bases on balls.

Despite the pitching woes, the Flyers were unable to take advantage for the most part. Dayton scored three runs in the in the third after sending eight men to the plate. The Flyers added another run in the fifth by cashing in a leadoff hit batsman with the help of a Govs error later in the inning.

Meanwhile, Austin Peay's offense kept grinding wat despite having few baserunners the entire game ? they left only six runners stranded ? left fielder Chad Cunningham's fourth-inning triple led to a run and Hogue's home run to left center in the sixth each tied the game, the homer leaving the game 4-4.

Dayton broke the tie with a run in both the seventh and eighth innings, but truly broke the game open in the ninth with 10 men making plate appearances and scoring six runs. Three runs came on right fielder Jake Hoover's three-run home run and two more were plated on shortstop Jimmy Roesinger's double.

Ryne Harper (1-1), the second of six APSU pitchers, was tagged for the loss after allowing one run on two hits in his 1.2 innings. Vicini went 4.1 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits and four walks. Hogue and Cunningham each had two hits as the Govs offense mustered eight hits in the game.

Dayton's Chris Beesley (1-1) picked up the victory after tossing 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Starter Sean Finn allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits over 5.2 innings. Catcher Scott Dunwoody, first baseman Scott MacDonald and designated hitter Max Navalinkski each had two hits as the Flyers rapped out 12 hits in the contest.

Austin Peay returns to action with a 6 p.m., Tuesday, contest against Lipsomb at Raymond C. Hand Park.

- AP -