INDIANAPOLIS - Austin Peay State University's baseball team
finished the 2012 campaign ranked among Division I's top 50 in 11 statistical
categories according to the NCAA's Statistical Service's final rankings
released following the Men's College World Series.
Austin Peay's offense claimed nine of the 11 marks,
including top 10 rankings in both walks and home runs. The Govs' 312 walks
finished the season ranked third nationally and was five shy of the school
record set in 1989. Austin Peay also belted 61 home runs to finish the season
ranked eighth nationally (12th in home runs per game) with its sixth 60-home
run campaign and first since 2001.
The Govs also posted top-50 finishes in hits (14th, 648),
runs scored (15th, 414), on-base percentage (16th, .393), slugging percentage
(27th, .435), scoring average (31st, 6.5 runs per game) and times hit by pitch
(41st, 78).
Austin Peay's defense chipped in its other top-10 ranking
with its 64 double plays finishing the season eighth in the nation. The Govs'
.625 win percentage (42-24 overall record) was ranked 55th among the nation's
291 Division I baseball teams.
On the mound, the Govs pitching staff showed one of the
nation's greatest improvements during the postseason. Austin Peay posted a 3.28
ERA in nine post season games and saw its ERA drop 22 points from 4.80 on May
20 to 4.58 at the end of the season. That improvement was the fourth-best in
that span and the resulting 24-spot improvement in the rankings ranked fifth
best.
Individually, third baseman Greg Bachman ended his career ranked nationally in hits (20th, 93), home runs (15th, 16), RBI (10th, 67) slugging percentage (55th, .592) and total bases (9th, 157). Rising junior second baseman Jordan Hankins finished the season ranked 36th among the nation's toughest to strikeout, averaging one strikeout every 15.6 at-bats. He also was ranked 12th nationally in RBI (66).
Also finishing the season ranked among the nation's top 50 in offensive statistics were rising senior shortstop Reed Harper (47th, 87 hits), graduated outfielder Michael blanchard (28th, 45 walks) and graduated designated hitter Jon Clinard (6th, 20 sacrifice bunts).
On the mound, rising senior starter Casey Delgado ranked among the nation's leaders in starts (16th, 17) and victories (37th, 9). Rising senior closer Tyler Rogers was 18th nationally with 12 saves.
-AP-
