CHARLESTON, Ill. - Austin Peay State University's baseball team survived an early long ball barrage and tied the game in the ninth, but will have to wait until tomorrow to see if its efforts will result in a win. The Govs' saw their Ohio Valley Conference series opener against Eastern Illinois suspended due to darkness with the game tied 7-7 after 12 innings, Friday night at Coaches Stadium.

The suspended game will be continued at noon, tomorrow before the two teams complete the series with a seven-inning contest that will follow.

Austin Peay did not lead through the first 12 innings, coming from behind three times to tie the game. Catcher P.J. Torres forced the last of those ties with his two-run double in the ninth that helped force extra-innings with the game tied, 7-7.

Eastern Illinois jumped out on top with third baseman Brant Valach's three-run home run in the second. The Panthers added two more runs on first baseman T.J. McManus' home run in the third.

The Govs battled back from the first home run by taking advantage of an EIU error in the third. Right fielder Rolando Gautier reached second on that error and, with two outs, Austin Peay rattled off four consecutive singles. Left fielder Cody Hudson, second baseman Jordan Hankins and shortstop Reed Harper each had RBI hits to tie the game.

After surrendering the second home run, Austin Peay scored a run in the fourth and tied the game on Torres' RBI double in the fifth.

Eastern Illinois again broke the tie in its half of the fifth, using a Govs error and right fielder Cameron Berra's RBI single to take a 6-5 lead. The Panthers pushed the lead to two runs in the seventh on center fielder Nick Priessman's leadoff home run.

Austin Peay starter Ryan Quick suffered through his roughest outing, surrendering the three home runs over 6.2 innings. He allowed seven runs on seven hits and struck out only four in his outing.

Reliever Mike Hebert finished the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth. Closer Tyler Rogers entered the game in the ninth and threw four scoreless innings, allowing one hit, and wrapped up the 12th before darkness fell.

Eastern Illinois starter Mike Hoekstra surrendered five runs on 10 hits over six innings. Reliever Darin Worman surrendered the game-tying double before leaving after 2.2 innings of work. Adam Clark finished the ninth worked each of three extra innings, including working out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the 12th.

-AP-

For the final recap of this contest see: Govs split weekend pair at Eastern Illinois