CATCH THE GOVS
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LEADING OFF
GOVS END SIX-GAME ROAD TRIP AT EVANSVILLE
Austin Peay closes out its season's longest road trip when it meets Evansville in a 6 p.m., Tuesday contest at Braun Stadium. The Govs have struggled during the road trip, posting a 1-4 mark. However, that is part of a longer stretch that has seen APSU lose six of its last seven. Meanwhile Evansville will wrap up a four-game homestand with Tuesday's contest. The Purple Aces were swept in a three-game series against Xavier over the weekend and bring a six-game losing streak into the midweek affair.

GOVERNORS QUICK HITS
After reaching the season's halfway mark with a 23-5 record, Austin Peay has struggled to start the second half, posting a 3-6 record and has a loss in six of its last seven outings… Austin Peay ended last week fourth in the OVC race with a 9-5 league mark, but have fallen 3½ games behind league-leading Belmont (13-2), which is followed by Tennessee Tech (15-3) and Jacksonville State (12-3)… the Govs performance has suffered in all aspects during the second half's start with the team batting just .266 (.300 at the half), recording 15 errors in 9 games (34 in first 28) and posting a 5.51 ERA (a 4.61 ERA at the half)… senior closer Tyler Rogers was named to the initial watch list of the 2013 Pitcher of the Year Award, presented by the College Baseball Hall of Fame… junior catcher P.J. Torres was added to the watch list for the Johnny Bench Award (the nation's top catcher) presented by the Wichita Sports Council… junior first baseman Craig Massoni leads APSU in all three triple crown categories: batting average (.362, 6th in OVC), home runs (7, 6th) and RBI (40, 3rd)… junior second baseman Jordan Hankins became the 16th Govs hitter to record 200 career hits, doing so in 158 games and 580 at-bats… junior right fielder Rolando Gautier saw his hit streak end at 16 games, Sunday, it was the longest hit streak by a Governor this season… junior third baseman Kevin Corey's six-game hit streak is now the Govs longest active streak and he led APSU with a .500 batting average (7-for-14) in last week's five games… senior left fielder Cody Hudson did not start at Southeast Missouri, Sunday, ending a streak of 83 consecutive games started, but he entered the game late and was 1-for-2 with a run scored… sophomore center fielder Dylan Riner saw his streak of 16 consecutive games reaching base safely come to an end Sunday at Southeast Missouri… senior catcher P.J. Torres, who has appeared in all 37 games this season, has reached base safely in 14 consecutive games – the Govs longest active streak… senior shortstop Reed Harper had 6 hits and 4 RBI during last week's four games, including his season's second triple at Southeast Missouri, Sunday… junior designated hitter Michael Davis had four hits, including two doubles and a home run, in last week's five games… junior southpaw Zach Hall will take the mound for Tuesday's start, it will be his third outing in seven days – he started and went five innings at Kentucky, April 9, then tossed 2.2 relief innings at Southeast Missouri, April 14.

THE EVANSVILLE PURPLE ACES
Evansville has lost six straight outings entering Tuesday's meeting with Austin Peay… the Purple Aces are 3-2 against OVC opponents this season (0-1 Belmont, 1-1 UT Martin, 1-1 Murray State)… Evansville is 10-10 at home this season, but have lost five straight at Braun Stadium… sophomore outfielder Kevin Kaczmarski leads Evansville in batting average (.338) and home runs (3)… junior first baseman John Day leads Evansville with 26 RBI, one of four players with 20-plus RBI… the Purple Aces defense has been solid this season with only 40 errors in 37 games, a .971 fielding percentage – but eight of those errors came in the series sweep it suffered against Xavier last weekend… Evansville will turn to right-hander Ryan Billo who will make his fourth start this season and is 1-3 with 10.02 ERA… Billo is no stranger to the Govs, who saw him twice last season, losing to him both times as he tallied 11 innings and allowed 4 runs on 9 hits while striking out 9 over the two outings.

THE GOVERNORS-PURPLE ACES SERIES
Evansville leads the all-time series against Austin Peay by a sizeable 38-20-2 margin, including a 17-9-2 advantage in Evansville… the Purple Aces have won the last four meetings and eight of the last nine outings… the Govs lone win in that span was a 13-2 victory in Evansville in Game 2 of a 2010 doubleheader… the last nine games also have been high-scoring affairs, Evansville out-scoring the Govs an average of 10.7-5.9 in that span.

GOVS SLOWING WIN PACE IN SECOND HALF
After posting a 23-5 mark in the season's first half, Austin Peay has struggled out of the gate in the second half – posting a 3-6 mark, including six losses in its last seven games. The recent slump has dropped APSU to 26-11 overall, one-game behind the program's best 37-game mark (27-10) set by the 1971 OVC Championship Team, which did not record its 12th loss until its 43rd game (31-12 mark).

GOVS RANKED NO. 13 IN MID-MAJOR POLL
Austin Peay dropped to No. 13 in CollegeBaseballDaily.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll after its 1-4 week. Louisville returned to the poll's top spot in the poll's April 15 edition. The Govs are surrounded by No. 11 Notre Dame, No. 12 Missouri State, No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast and No. 15 Sam Houston State. The Mid-Major Poll includes all baseball conferences except the ACC, Big 12, Big West, Conference USA, Pac 12 and the SEC.

ROGERS NAMED TO NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
Closer Tyler Rogers was one of 41 pitchers from across the country named to the initial watch list for the 2013 Pitcher of the Year Award, sponsored by Diamond Sports and presented by the College Baseball Hall of Fame. He was joined by Belmont's Josh Davis as the OVC's two representatives on the list.

TORRES ADDED TO JOHNNY BENCH AWARD WATCH LIST
Catcher P.J. Torres was one of 15 additions to the Johnny Bench Award presented by BaseballSavings.com, April 9. He was joined on the watch list by Tennessee Tech's Jordan Parris, as the only OVC representatives on the list. The award is presented to the top Division I catcher each season. The watch list will be pared to a list of semifinalists, May 16, and then a list of finalists, June 4.

ROGERS TIES OWN APSU SAVES MARK, OVC MARKS IN SIGHT
Closer Tyler Rogers tied his own single-season saves mark with his 12th save at Western Kentucky, April 3, reaching the mark in the Govs 29th game. Last season, Rogers recorded his record 12th save in Austin Peay's 62nd game. Rogers also is APSU's career saves leader with 24 stops during his career. Among OVC pitchers, he is third on both the career and single-season lists entering the week. Jacksonville State's Todd Hornsby set both marks last season with a 15-save campaign to finish with 32 career saves.

ROGERS AMONG NATION'S LEADERS IN SAVES, WINS
Closer Tyler Rogers again is the nation's saves leader, regaining the top spot in the April 8 rankings with 12 saves. He entered this week still tied with Cal State Fullerton's Michael Lorenzen for the top spot with five relievers one save behind. Rogers also remained among the nation's wins leaders, entering the week ranked tied for 80th with five wins (along with Casey Delgado). Rogers was charged with his first blown save – and a loss – in the Govs April 13 loss at Southeast Missouri.

HARPER, HUDSON AND NOW HANKINS ENTER 200-HIT CLUB
Second baseman Jordan Hankins became the 16th member of Austin Peay's 200-hit club with his ninth-inning single, April 14 at Southeast Missouri. He joined shortstop Reed Harper and outfielder Cody Hudson as current Governors with 200 or more hits in their careers. It is only the second time in program history three Govs with 200-plus hits have been on the same team, joining Nate Manning, Chuck Abbott and Ryan Bennett on the 1996 team.

HANKINS FASTEST TO JOIN 200-HIT CLUB
Second baseman Jordan Hankins also is one of only three players all-time to reach the 200-hit plateau in their first three seasons and he is the quickest of the trio to reach the milestone, reaching the mark in his 158th game played. He edged out the mark set by shortstop Chuck Abbott (1994-96) who notched hit No. 200 in his 163rd game and finished his three-year stint with 218 hits – the most by a Gov in his first three seasons. Shortstop Reed Harper reached the 200-hit mark in his 171st career game played and finished his junior season with 204 hits.