CLARKSVILLE - Austin Peay State University's baseball team could not create enough opportunities while an aggressive Iowa side converted on several opportunities to hand the Govs a 13-1 loss, Saturday, at Raymond C. Hand Park.

While Iowa (1-1) scored 13 runs on 15 hits, the damage could have been much worse as it left 12 men on base in the contest. The Hawkeyes struck for three runs in the first, two in the third, a run each in the fifth and sixth, before breaking the game open with a five-run ninth.

Austin Peay (1-1) certainly helped the Iowa cause throughout with little miscues defensively.  The Govs failed to covert what appeared to be a routine double play in the fifth that allowed a run to score instead of ending the inning. A miscommunication in the sixth allowed a runner to score from third on a ball hit just 10 feet from home plate. Add in a pair of missed cutoff men in the first and ninth innings and Austin Peay head coach Gary McClure has reason to talk to his team for nearly 20 minutes after the game concluded.

"Give Iowa credit, they took advantage of the opportunities they produced and we provided," said McClure. "I was disappointed that we didn't do the little things well today, in the field or at the plate. When we had opportunities to get outs we just didn't make the play we needed today."

The Govs also struggled at the plate, with only one prime scoring opportunity which presented itself in the second inning. Austin Peay put two runners on base with no outs and scored a run on catcher P.J. Torres' single. However, the Govs saw a runner cut down attempting to steal third base followed by a strikeout to quickly place two outs on the board. Center fielder Dylan Riner kept the inning alive with a bunt single, moving Torres to third, but Iowa starter Matt Dermody escaped by inducing a flyout to end the inning.

After that, the Govs had a runner in scoring position just three times in the final seven innings. Iowa helped its cause with double plays in both the fourth and sixth innings, the latter negating center fielder Cody Hudson's one-out double.

Delgado (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing six runs on nine hits while striking out four over five innings. The Govs used five relievers in the contest, including freshman Tommy Hager who allowed one run while pitching the seventh and eighth innings.

"I thought Casey didn't have his best stuff - he was up in the zone - but if we do the little things behind him he comes out with a much better result," said McClure. "Even later in the game, Tommy Hager came in and pitched well, but we made one mistake on defense that cost him a run. We just have to play better defensively."

Hudson led the Govs offense with a 3-for-4 outing that included a double. Torres was 1-for-3 with an RBI while second baseman Jordan Hankins notched his first hit this season in a 1-for-4 effort.

Dermody (1-0) picked up the victory after holding the Govs to one unearned run on five hits while striking out four over five innings. Reliever Taylor Kaufman pitched three scoreless innings and struck out four before Josh Martching retired the Govs in order in the ninth.

Sheppard led Iowa with a 3-for-4, four RBI performance. Second baseman Jake Mangler and Kris Goodman also had three hits each.

Austin Peay and Iowa conclude their three-game season-opening series with a 1 p.m., Sunday contest at Hand Park.