THE LEAD
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Shortstop Clayton Smithson had three hits and four RBI but Austin Peay State University's baseball team had to hold on late in a 12-9 Ohio Valley Conference victory against SIUE, Saturday, at Simmons Baseball Complex.

HOW IT HAPPENED
SIUE took its first lead of the series in the bottom of the first, as the first three batters of the game reached on base hits. First baseman Keaton Wright and third baseman Jacob Stewart each had RBI singles for a 2-0 lead.

Austin Peay roared back with the game's next 10 runs. Smithson tied the game in the top of the second with a two-run single and right fielder Chase Hamilton gave the Govs the lead with a RBI single in the third.

The Governors then used the long ball to extend the lead. Second baseman Garrett Copeland hit a two-run blast in the fourth to cap a three-run inning. In the seventh, Hamilton hit a two-run home run of his own as APSU extended the lead to 10-2 after 7½.

SIUE nearly tied the game in its half of the eighth, using six singles, a walk and an APSU error on a sacrifice bunt to score seven runs and close within a run.

Austin Peay rebuilt its lead thanks to third baseman Logan Gray's leadoff home run in the ninth followed by Hamilton's triple. Hamilton would score on a wild pitch to set the final score.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Austin Peay rapped out eight extra-base hits in Saturday's win – three doubles, two triples and three home runs. Hamilton and Gray each hit their 11th home run while Copeland hit his season's fourth round tripper.

The Govs three home runs pushed them to 62 home runs this season – with five regular season games remaining. It is the fourth most home runs in a single-season, trailing only 2001 (72), 1999 (70) and 1996 (64) in program history.

Starting pitcher Caleb Powell won his fourth consecutive OVC contest, his first as the Govs No. 2 starter. He also went a career-high tying seven innings and started the eighth for the first time this season.

Reliever Zach Neff did not allow an earned run for the eighth consecutive relief appearance – a stretch of 16.1 innings without allowing an earned run.

THE FULL RECAP
Austin Peay (30-18, 20-9 OVC) scored 10 straight runs to build a 10-2 lead through eight innings. Governors starter Caleb Powell surrendered two first-inning runs but went the next six innings without allowing a run.

SIUE (9-36, 6-20 OVC) tightened the screws in the eighth as the first four batters of the frame hit singles against Powell. First baseman Keaton Wright and shortstop Skyler Geissinger's singles each driving in a run. Powell's outing – the first time he started the eighth inning this season – came to an end when he loaded the bases with a walk.

The Governors bullpen was unable to stem the Cougars rush. Reliever Keirce Kimbel surrendered a bloop single that led to two addition runs. A miscue on a sacrifice bunt allowed another run to score and left runners on second and third as SIUE closed the gap to 10-7.

Kimbel's outing came to a close and Austin Peay turned to Zach Neff to try and close the door. Neff would get the first two outs before surrendering a soft line drive to right for a two-run single, cutting the deficit to one run, 10-9. However, he would ultimately close the door with a pop out to strand the tying run on base.

Austin Peay's offense responded immediately as left fielder Logan Gray drove the first pitch he saw in the top of the ninth over the wall in right for a home run. Right fielder Chase Hamilton followed by lacing a triple into the right center gap, scoring on a wild pitch for a 12-9 APSU lead.

Governors closer Jared Carkuff would allow a walk and a single to start the bottom of the ninth. But he steadied himself with an infield fly before inducing a game-ending double play for his season's sixth save.

Smithson's 3-for-5 outing included a game-tying two-run single in the second. He added a RBI double in the fourth and tacked on a RBI triple in the eighth. Hamilton went 3-for-5, hitting a go-ahead RBI single in the third before notching a two-run home run in the seventh and his eighth-inning triple.

Hamilton was joined on the home run tote board by second baseman Garrett Copeland and Gray. The Governors notched eight extra base hits in a 13-hit attack.

The offensive outburst helped Powell (7-2) notch his fourth consecutive win after allowing seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits in seven-plus innings.

SIUE right fielder Logan Andersen led the game off with a double and scored as part of a 4-for-5, two RBI performance. His double was the Cougars lone extra-base hit in a 14-hit attack.

Cougars starter Jarrett Bednar (2-10) was tagged for six runs (three earned) in his six-inning start.

Austin Peay wraps up the OVC portion of its schedule with its 1 p.m., Sunday contest at SIUE.

THE LEAD
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Shortstop Clayton Smithson had three hits and four RBI but Austin Peay State University's baseball team had to hold on late in a 12-9 Ohio Valley Conference victory against SIUE, Saturday, at Simmons Baseball Complex.

HOW IT HAPPENED
SIUE took its first lead of the series in the bottom of the first, as the first three batters of the game reached on base hits. First baseman Keaton Wright and third baseman Jacob Stewart each had RBI singles for a 2-0 lead.

Austin Peay roared back with the game's next 10 runs. Smithson tied the game in the top of the second with a two-run single and right fielder Chase Hamilton gave the Govs the lead with a RBI single in the third.

The Governors then used the long ball to extend the lead. Second baseman Garrett Copeland hit a two-run blast in the fourth to cap a three-run inning. In the seventh, Hamilton hit a two-run home run of his own as APSU extended the lead to 10-2 after 7½.

SIUE nearly tied the game in its half of the eighth, using six singles, a walk and an APSU error on a sacrifice bunt to score seven runs and close within a run.

Austin Peay rebuilt its lead thanks to third baseman Logan Gray's leadoff home run in the ninth followed by Hamilton's triple. Hamilton would score on a wild pitch to set the final score.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Austin Peay rapped out eight extra-base hits in Saturday's win – three doubles, two triples and three home runs. Hamilton and Gray each hit their 11th home run while Copeland hit his season's fourth round tripper.

The Govs three home runs pushed them to 62 home runs this season – with five regular season games remaining. It is the fourth most home runs in a single-season, trailing only 2001 (72), 1999 (70) and 1996 (64) in program history.

Starting pitcher Caleb Powell won his fourth consecutive OVC contest, his first as the Govs No. 2 starter. He also went a career-high tying seven innings and started the eighth for the first time this season.

Reliever Zach Neff did not allow an earned run for the eighth consecutive relief appearance – a stretch of 16.1 innings without allowing an earned run.

THE FULL RECAP
Austin Peay (30-18, 20-9 OVC) scored 10 straight runs to build a 10-2 lead through eight innings. Governors starter Caleb Powell surrendered two first-inning runs but went the next six innings without allowing a run.

SIUE (9-36, 6-20 OVC) tightened the screws in the eighth as the first four batters of the frame hit singles against Powell. First baseman Keaton Wright and shortstop Skyler Geissinger's singles each driving in a run. Powell's outing – the first time he started the eighth inning this season – came to an end when he loaded the bases with a walk.

The Governors bullpen was unable to stem the Cougars rush. Reliever Keirce Kimbel surrendered a bloop single that led to two addition runs. A miscue on a sacrifice bunt allowed another run to score and left runners on second and third as SIUE closed the gap to 10-7.

Kimbel's outing came to a close and Austin Peay turned to Zach Neff to try and close the door. Neff would get the first two outs before surrendering a soft line drive to right for a two-run single, cutting the deficit to one run, 10-9. However, he would ultimately close the door with a pop out to strand the tying run on base.

Austin Peay's offense responded immediately as left fielder Logan Gray drove the first pitch he saw in the top of the ninth over the wall in right for a home run. Right fielder Chase Hamilton followed by lacing a triple into the right center gap, scoring on a wild pitch for a 12-9 APSU lead.

Governors closer Jared Carkuff would allow a walk and a single to start the bottom of the ninth. But he steadied himself with an infield fly before inducing a game-ending double play for his season's sixth save.

Smithson's 3-for-5 outing included a game-tying two-run single in the second. He added a RBI double in the fourth and tacked on a RBI triple in the eighth. Hamilton went 3-for-5, hitting a go-ahead RBI single in the third before notching a two-run home run in the seventh and his eighth-inning triple.

Hamilton was joined on the home run tote board by second baseman Garrett Copeland and Gray. The Governors notched eight extra base hits in a 13-hit attack.

The offensive outburst helped Powell (7-2) notch his fourth consecutive win after allowing seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits in seven-plus innings.

SIUE right fielder Logan Andersen led the game off with a double and scored as part of a 4-for-5, two RBI performance. His double was the Cougars lone extra-base hit in a 14-hit attack.

Cougars starter Jarrett Bednar (2-10) was tagged for six runs (three earned) in his six-inning start.

Austin Peay wraps up the OVC portion of its schedule with its 1 p.m., Sunday contest at SIUE.