COMPLETE AUSTIN PEAY GAME NOTES PACKAGE (PDF)

GOVS HEAD TO BUCKEYE STATE FOR FINAL NON-CONFERENCE WEEKEND TUNE-UP
Austin Peay's baseball team travels north to meet Ohio State in a three-game non-conference series, Friday-Sunday, for its final tune-up. The Govs will seek to end a recent slump that has seen them losing four of their last five games. The Buckeyes return to action after splitting its four games at the Coastal Carolina Tournament last weekend.

GOVERNORS QUICK HITS
Austin Peay has dropped four of its last five outings, including its two midweek outings at Memphis (1-2) and against Evansville (3-7) • The Govs offense has averaged 3.4 runs per game and is batting .246 during that five-game stretch, but 10 of its 17 runs came in a 10-8 victory against Arkansas State, March 11 • Designated hitter Jon Clinard has led the Govs with a .400 batting average (8-of-20) and has moved into the leadoff spot in the last three games • Third baseman Greg Bachman is batting .350 (7-of-20) with a home run and has a team-best 5 RBI • Second baseman Jordan Hankins (.333, 6-of-18) and catcher Matt Wollenzin (.313, 5-of-16) also are batting above .300 during the Govs most recent five games • The Govs starters also have struggled recently, with an 8.85 ERA while lasting 20.1 innings in five outings • Game 1 starter Ryan Quick is the one starter who has bucked the trend, allowing 2 or fewer runs in his fourth consecutive start, but did not earn a decision against Northern Illinois after allowing 1 run and striking out 8 over 8 innings • Last week's Game 2 starter Zach Toney (3.2 innings, 8 runs) and Game 3 starter Casey Delgado (1.2 innings, 3 runs) both suffered through their season's shortest outings last weekend • The Govs bullpen continues to be a strength, posting a 3.62 ERA and limiting opponents to a .256 batting average despite posting 27.1 innings (5.2 innings per game) • Austin Peay was picked to finish first in the OVC's preseason poll • Four Governors were selected to the league's preseason team – Toney, Harper, senior outfielder Michael Blanchard and sophomore second baseman Jordan Hankins • Austin Peay returns 7 of its 8 defensive starters from last season.

ABOUT THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
The Buckeyes split their four games at the Coastal Carolina Tournament last weekend, defeating Marist (17-2) and Toledo (13-1) and dropping two contests to host Coastal Carolina (1-4 and 2-3) • Left fielder and leadoff hitter Joe Ciamacco leads OSU with a .378 batting average • First baseman Josh Dezse has a team-best four home runs while batting .373 with 11 RBI • Second baseman Ryan Cypret leads the Buckeyes with 14 RBI and is batting .340 this season • Game 1 starter Jaron Long struck out 7 over 7.1 innings in a loss to Coastal Carolina, allowing one run, but did not earn a decision as the bullpen surrendered three runs • Game 2 starter Brian King did not pitch at Myrtle Beach but is penciled in to make his season's fourth start Saturday, he is 2-1 with a 7.50 ERA in three previous starts • Game 3 starter Brett McKinney scattered 11 hits, allowing two runs over eight innings in OSU's win against Marist, and he improved to 2-2 this season.

CARDIAC GOVS
Sixteen games into the season and the Govs have three walk-off victories to their credit, including two in extra innings. Senior third baseman Greg Bachman became the latest walk-off hero, with an RBI single against Arkansas State in Sunday's 10-9, 11-inning victory. Sophomore second baseman Jordan Hankins had a game-winning single in the Govs 10-inning victory against Iowa, March 3, and junior shortstop Reed Harper belted a walk-off solo home run against Illinois State, Feb. 18.

GOVS PITCHERS RETIRE RED WOLVES
Austin Peay's pitchers recorded 16 strikeouts against Arkansas State, March 11. It was the most strikeouts recorded in a single-game since the start of the 1996 season. Junior Tyler Rogers notched seven of those strikeouts in 4.1 innings of relief before senior Mike Hebert followed with eight strikeouts in the final 4.0 innings.

MR. 200
Senior third baseman Greg Bachman recorded his 200th career hit with an 8th-inning single at Alabama A&M, March 6. He joined a group of 11 Govs to reach that milestone in the long history of the program. He is the first Austin Peay player to reach the milestone since Jared Walker (245 career hits) and Chris Hyde (222) each recorded their 200th hit in 2005. Current Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis holds Austin Peay's hits record with 263 base-knocks during his career.

GOVS AT R.C.H.P.
Since the 2000 season, Austin Peay has made the most of Raymond C. Hand Park's friendly confines, posting a 227-131 (.634) record at home. The 2011 season's 17-10 record was Austin Peay's 10th consecutive winning home season and 29th winning campaign in 42 seasons at RCHP.

GOVS IN HOSTILE TERRITORY
The Govs have not fared as well as the visitor since 2000, winning just 44.3 percent (129-162 record) of the time in true road contests. Austin Peay has just five .500-or-better road campaigns in the last 11 seasons. Four of their OVC Championships (2004, 05, 07 and 2011) came in years with .500-or-better road records. The Govs other championship (2003) came when they posted a  9-10-1 record on the road.

CAMOUFLAGE CAP FOR THE WIN
Austin Peay debuted its new Camouflage Cap in its March 4 contest against Akron. A homage to those who serve in the US Armed Forces, the Govs will wear the cap for every home Sunday contest the rest of the season. The cap is off to a good start with the Govs winning its first two Sunday outings with the caps on – a 14-4 win against Akron, March 4, and Sunday's 10-9 extra-inning victory against Arkansas State.

HARPER NABS OVC WEEKLY HONOR
Junior shortstop Reed Harper opened the season batting .600 (9-15) with four runs scored, a double, home run and four RBI to earn the OVC's Player of the Week honor, Feb. 20. His biggest hit on opening weekend came in Game 3 of the series as he drove a walk-off home run to cap a 3-2 come-from-behind victory. Earlier in the contest he drove in the game-tying run with an RBI single in the third inning. Harper opened the season with a 4-for-5 effort, Friday. In 16 total plate appearances he but the ball in play 15 times.

RED SUBMARINE-R
A big hole in the pitching corps developed when closer Ryne Harper also was selected in the MLB draft last season. However, the Govs found a very capable replacement with junior transfer Tyler Rogers. The first thing teams will notice is Rogers throws with a submarine motion. However, he was successful as a junior college closer finishing the 2011 season with 13 saves, third most among junior college hurlers.

FOUR NAMED TO RIVERVIEW INN All-CHALLENGE SQUAD
Senior third baseman Greg Bachman, sophomore starting pitcher Ryan Quick, senior relief pitcher Mike Hebert and senior designated hitter Jon Clinard were each selected to the Riverview Inn All-Challenge team following the tournament's conclusion.

SIX PICKED TO RIVERVIEW INN ALL-CLASSIC TEAM
Six Govs players were named to the Riverview Inn All-Classic team, March 4, following the team's tournament sweep. Sophomore catcher P.J. Torres, sophomore second baseman Jordan Hankins, senior third baseman Greg Bachman, sophomore outfielder Rolando Gautier, sophomore starting pitcher Ryan Quick and junior relief pitcher Tyler Rogers were each tapped to the squad.

GOVS PICKED TO WIN IN PRESEASON POLL
Austin Peay was picked to win the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference race in a poll of the league's baseball coaches. The Govs, who won both the regular season and tournament titles in 2011, received 79 points and seven of the nine possible first-place votes. Austin Peay was followed closely by Jacksonville State (73 points, 1 first-place vote) and Tennessee Tech (63 points, 2 first-place votes).

OVC PLAYS 3-DAY, 3-GAME FORMAT IN 2012
In February 2011, the OVC Board of Presidents unanimously approved a change to the league's regular-season format in baseball. Last season, OVC weekends involved playing three games over two days – a Saturday doubleheader (a nine-inning game followed by a seven-inning contest) and a single nine-inning game, Sunday. Beginning in 2012, the schedule will be three games over three days with one nine-inning contest each day. The revamped format also will require Friday openers to begin between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time.