CLARKSVILLE - Austin Peay State University's baseball team trailed by eight runs early on but outscored visiting Belmont 15-4 over the final six innings to post a 17-14 non-conference victory, Tuesday night at Raymond C. Hand Park.

Belmont (19-20) scored 10 runs over the first three innings and led 10-2 after its turn at bat in the third inning. Eight of the Bruins starters had one hit in that three-inning stretch with three batters - center fielder Dylan Craig, catcher Matt Zeblo and right fielder Tim Egerton - posting two hits in the early action.

Austin Peay (19-18) began its comeback in the bottom of the third, plating three runs. The Govs added two runs in the fifth, narrowing the gap to 10-7. Belmont stemmed the tide momentarily with a pair of runs in the sixth.

But the Govs broke the floodgates open in the sixth, scoring six times. The inning began with a pair of walks followed by an error by the Bruins shortstop. Second baseman Jon Clinard brought home the inning's first two runs with a single. Left fielder Matt Kole followed with an RBI single and an error by the center fielder allowed the Govs to score two runs, cutting the deficit to one run. First baseman John Hogan promptly tied the game with a run-scoring double and he would cross home plate on third baseman Chris Lewellyn's RBI single, giving APSU a 13-12 lead it would not relinquish.

Kole added three insurance runs with his home run in the Govs four-run seventh. Those insurance runs would nearly prove necessary in the eighth.

Belmont had two men on base in the eighth with one out when Egerton hit a long fly ball over the wall to center field for what appeared a three-run home run. However, following the play it was ruled Egerton passed the runner at first, nullifying the home run but allowing two runs to score, cutting the lead to 17-14 which is where the game would settle.

Sophomore southpaw Jeremy Dobbs (1-0) - the fifth of seven Govs pitchers to see action - picked up his season's victory after allowing one run in 1.2 innings of action. Senior closer Zach Gerler picked up his season's seventh save after tossing a scoreless ninth inning.

Ross Beach (0-1) - the sixth of eight Bruins pitchers - was tagged for the loss after allowing one run on two hits in one inning pitched.

Austin Peay's offense pounded out 16 hits, both Kole and Hogan finishing with four-hit nights. Kole was 4-for-5 with 5 RBI - his third five RBI performance in the last 16 days. Hogan was 4-for-4 with two RBI.

Egerton finished the night 3-for-4 with four RBI, leading Belmont's 16-hit attack.

Austin Peay continues its eight-game home stand when it hosts SIU Edwardsville in a three-game non-conference series, beginning with a 1 p.m., Saturday doubleheader.

- AP -