CHARLESTON,
Ill. - Right fielder Adam Browett and third baseman Shayne Martin each had five
RBI as Austin Peay State University's baseball team posted an 18-6 victory against Eastern
Illinois, Saturday afternoon at Coaches Stadium.
Eastern
Illinois (6-20, 2-4 OVC) struck first, sending eight men to the plate against
Austin Peay starter Stephen Huff and scoring three times. Huff would pitch in
and out of trouble through his six innings, but unlike Friday's two contests
the APSU offense would supply plenty of run support.
Austin
Peay (15-12, 3-3) tied the game in the third with three runs of its own, Martin's
two-run double supplying the biggest part of the outburst. The Govs would gain
their first lead of the series, 4-3, with shortstop Reed Harper's run-scoring
fielder's choice in the fourth.
Huff
got back into trouble in the bottom of the fourth putting the first four men he
faced on base, including first baseman Alex Gee's two-run double, giving EIU a
5-4 lead.
Second
baseman Jon Clinard promptly tied the game with a leadoff home run in the
fifth. It was the first of nine consecutive runs scored by the Govs, including
a seven-run seventh inning that broke the game open.
In
the pivotal seventh, the Govs opened the inning with consecutive walks, chasing
EIU reliever Brent McNeil. New pitcher Matt Miller struck out the first batter
he faced and then intentionally walked left fielder Cody Hudson to load the
bases. Browett came up to the plate and lined a 1-2 pitch to right field,
beginning the breakout rally. Martin would add a two-run double and Clinard a
two-run triple and the Govs would lead 13-5 after seven innings.
Browett
finished the day 3-for-6 with five RBI and a pair of doubles. Martin added a
3-for-4, five RBI outing with a pair of doubles. Clinard was 3-for-6 with three
RBI, a triple and home run.
Huff
(3-3) ended a three-game losing streak with the victory, allowing five run on
10 hits while striking out five over six innings.
McNeil
(0-3) took the loss after allowing three runs over two-plus innings of relief
work. EIU Starter Zach Mueller went four-plus innings and allowed fivev runs on
six hits. Gee led the Panthers offense with 4-for-4, three RBI outing that
included three doubles.
Austin
Peay continues its eight-game road trip with a 6:30 p.m., Tuesday contest
against Memphis at Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn.
