CLARKSVILLE - A day after seeing a six-run inning work in their favor, Austin Peay State University's baseball team saw the six-run inning work against them in a 12-8 loss to Western Kentucky, Wednesday night Raymond C. Hand Park.

Western Kentucky (9-12) used a six-run seventh inning to break open a tight game. The Hilltoppers big blast came off the bat of right fielder Ryan Hutchinson, whose three-run home was the first pitch offered by APSU reliever Mike Hebert and gave WKU a 9-8 lead it would not relinquish.  Hebert would put the next five batters he faced on base before making way for junior Tyler Rogers.

Rogers immediately loaded the bases with a walk to the first batter he faced before recording a strikeout. He then surrendered a run on an infield single to center fielder Jared Andreoli, but fired home to catch the second runner to end the inning.

Austin Peay (11-10) seemingly could not recover from that last momentum change, with five of its final 10 hitters going down on strikeouts. WKU reliever Taylor Heydel (1-1) notched the win with those five strikeouts over the final 3.1 innings.

The first six innings were a see-saw affair with three ties and a lead change. Austin Peay scored in each of the first six innings while Western Kentucky posted a run in four of the six frames.

Hebert (3-1) suffered his season's first loss after allowing four runs on two hits and a walk without recording an out in the seventh. The Govs used eight pitchers in the contest.

Sophomore second baseman Jordan Hankins led the Govs offensive effort with a 2-for-3, three RBI outings that included a pair of RBI singles and a sacrifice fly. Senior centerfielder Michael Blanchard snapped out of his recent woes at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Senior designated hitter Jon Clinard extended his hit streak to nine games with a fourth-inning RBI double.

WKU first baseman Ryan Huck finished the night 3-for-4 with two RBI and two doubles.

Austin Peay opens Ohio Valley Conference play with a three-game series at Southeast Missouri. The Govs and Redhawks begin the league slate with a 3 p.m., Friday scheduled contest.

-AP-