THE LEAD
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Austin Peay State University's baseball team had the first word but could not ultimately match the response of Jacksonville State in an 8-5 Ohio Valley Conference loss, Saturday, at Rudy Abbott Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Austin Peay gained the opening lead with two runs in the top of the first inning courtesy catcher Ridge Smith's two-run home run.
But the story of the night was Jacksonville State's ability to respond to each APSU score. The Gamecocks got one run back in the bottom of the first thanks to two APSU errors. JSU took the lead for good in the second with three extra-base hits leading to three runs.
From there, Austin Peay would score in the fourth and fifth innings only to see Jacksonville State respond each time, preventing any Austin Peay run.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
In a game decided by just three runs, Austin Peay could not match Jacksonville State's scoring opportunities. The Gamecocks finished the game with 25 at-bats with a runner on base (17 RBI opportunities). They were 8-for-25 with a runner on base and 4-for-17 in a RBI opportunity.
Conversely, Austin Peay was an anemic 3-for-13 with runners on base and only 1-for-7 in RBI opportunities.
In addition, Jacksonville State saw its leadoff hitter reach five times and score each time. Austin Peay had its leadoff hitter reach three times and score each time.
Smithson's fifth-inning trip was his 11th extra-base hit this season – he has just 17 hits this season.
Left fielder Ridge Smith extended his hit streak to a career-best 11 games with his first-inning home run. It is the second consecutive game he has recorded a base hit in the first inning.
First baseman Dre Gleason was held without a hit and did not reach base safely. The 0-for-4 outing brought an end to his 14-game hit streak and 31-game reached-base safely streak.
THE FULL RECAP
The game was a study in creating scoring opportunities and capitalizing on those chances. Ultimately, it was Jacksonville State that produced more chances to score and was able to generate runs from those opportunities. Meanwhile, Austin Peay relied on home runs to generate the majority of its scoring.
The first two innings proved the game-long story line. Austin Peay (9-8, 3-2 OVC) got on the board first when second baseman Garrett Copeland led off the game with a single. Two batters later, catcher Ridge Smith drove a home run to left field, giving APSU the early two-run lead.
Jacksonville State (12-5, 5-0 OVC) responded in its half of the first when center fielder Gavin Golsan walked to start the inning. JSU would load the bases with a single and a Govs error.
Austin Peay starter Michael Costanzo got on the verge of ending the threat with a strikeout and fly out and seemed to end the inning with a slow chopper up the middle. However, the throw pulled APSU's first baseman off the bag, allowing a run to score. Costanzo then got a foul out to end the threat.
Costanzo would not be so fortunate in the second. He would strike out the side but not before allowing three runs. The Gamecocks opened the inning with a double and outfielder Peyton Williams tied the game with a triple. Second baseman Clayton Daniel gave JSU the lead with a RBI single then first baseman Tyler Gamble added a two-out RBI double, giving the Gamecocks a 4-2 lead before Costanzo ended the inning.
Austin Peay would use the long ball again in the fourth when right fielder Kyle Blackburn hit a one-out solo home run. But the Govs could not post a corresponding shutout inning as the Gamecocks got the leadoff hitter aboard again and ultimately scored two runs for a 6-3 lead.
The Govs scored again in the fifth when third baseman Clayton Smithson led off the frame with a triple and scored on a passed ball. But JSU saw the first four batters in the bottom of the inning reach base, shortstop Taylor Hawthone supplying a RBI double to reestablish the three-run lead and Austin Peay would not threaten again.
Austin Peay starter Michael Costanzo (3-1) was held without a win for the second straight road outing. He allowed six runs (four earned) on seven hits in four innings. The Govs bullpen allowed two runs over the final four innings, highlighted by CJ Burrow escaping a bases-loaded, no outs jam in the fifth without allowing an additional run.
Austin Peay was held to seven hits, with seven different hitters supplying one hit each. Smith and Blackburn each went 1-for-3 to pace the offense.
Jacksonville State starter Jack Pierce (2-0) was credited with the win after holding Austin Peay to four runs (three earned) on four hits in 5.1 innings.
The Gamecocks offense posted 12 hits, with only six hitters posting a hit. Hawthorne led the way with a 3-for-4 outing. Daniel, Gamble, third baseman Josh Bobo and Williams had two hits each.
Austin Peay and Jacksonville State will close out their three-game OVC series with a 1 p.m., Sunday contest.
