CHARLESTON, Ill. - Austin Peay State University's baseball team ran its win streak to nine games with a 5-2  Ohio Valley Conference victory against Eastern Illinois, Saturday, at Coaches Stadium.

Austin Peay (17-2, 2-0 OVC) are off to their best start in program history and their current nine-game win streak is the longest since a school-record 11-game streak in 1971.

Govs starter Casey Delgado (3-1) scattered three hits over six innings, surrendering two runs on a pair of solo home runs, for the win. Reliever Kacy Kemmer followed with two scoreless innings. Closer Tyler Rogers tossed a three-up, three-down ninth for his season's eighth save and his 20th career save, tying the APSU record.

Austin Peay's offense scored in the first inning for only the fifth time this season. Left fielder Cody Hudson drove home a run with a sacrifice fly and shortstop Reed Harper added a second run with a RBI single. The Govs improved to 5-0 when they score in the first inning.

The Govs tacked on two more runs in the fifth after second baseman Jordan Hankins and first baseman Craig Massoni opened the frame with back-to-back singles. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners, Eastern Illinois intentionally walked Harper to load the bases. The tactic backfired when EIU starter Joe Greenfield uncorked his first wild pitch, allowing Hankins to score. Catcher P.J. Torres followed with an RBI ground out and the Govs led 4-1 and would not look back.

Massoni, who finished Friday's contest with three straight hits, opened Saturday's game with three consecutive hits and finished the day 3-for-5. Center fielder Dylan Riner added a 2-for-3 outing. The Govs posted just eight hits, but earned eight walks while striking out only four times.

Greenfield (1-2) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits and seven walks over seven innings. Third baseman Brant Valach and first baseman Treysen Vavra has solo home runs in the second and sixth innings, repectively, to lead the Panthers offense.

Austin Peay, which clinched its first series win in Charleston since 2004, and Eastern Illinois will conclude their three-game series with a rescheduled noon, Sunday contest.