CLARKSVILLE – Third baseman Parker Phillips' two-run home run supplied the eventual game winning runs as Austin Peay State University's baseball team downed Illinois State, 9-4, in Saturday action at the Riverview Inn Governors Challenge.
WHO GOVERNED
After Illinois State cut the Govs lead to 4-2, Phillips hit his first collegiate home run to put the Govs ahead 6-2 and put them ahead of the Redbirds for good. He also had a single and was hit by a pitch to reach base safely in three of his five plate appearances. After starting the day at third base, he moved behind the plate in the eighth inning.
NOTABLY
ROBLES GOES YARD. Two batters after Phillips hit his home run, designated hitter Alex Robles piled on with a solo home run to left field. It was the Govs sixth home run of the weekend.
WELCOME BACK PRIMASING. A day after the Govs saw left fielder Cayce Bredlau return to action, they saw left-handed reliever Levi Primasing climb the bump, Saturday. He struck out three while allowing two hits over the game's final two innings.
GLEASON KEEPS PLUGGING AWAY. First baseman Dre Gleason rapped out two hits in Saturday's affair, including a first-inning two-run double, and is now 5-for-8 (.625) in the first two games. He entered the season seeking to repeat his start of 2016, which saw him roar out to a .402 batting average through the season's first 29 games.
OUT TO ANOTHER QUICK START. For the second straight game Austin Peay scored in the first frame, scoring three times in the opening stanza against Illinois State. The Govs are 2-0 when scoring first this season after posting an 11-6 record when scoring in the first last season.
THE FULL RECAP
For the second straight day, Austin Peay's offense scored in the opening frame, launching out to a three-run lead. Right fielder Chase Hamilton supplied the game's first run with a RBI double. Two batters later, first baseman Dre Gleason jumped on a pitch for a two-run double high off the batter's eye in center field.
That early run support was a boon to Governors starting pitcher Michael Costanzo, who kept Illinois State off the scoreboard until the third inning when he saw a single and a defensive miscue put a runner in scoring position. ISU third baseman Ryan Hutchinson drove in the run with a single.
The Govs responded to that run with one of their own in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of a series of defensive mistakes by the Redbirds. Hamilton singled to start the inning and, with Phillips at the plate, stole second base. But he advanced to third as the throw to second sailed into center field and then scored as the throw from center sailed to the APSU dugout, giving the Govs a 4-1 lead.
After Illinois State scratched out another run in the fifth, the Govs again responded immediately but more forcefully. Left fielder Cayce Bredlau walked to start the frame and two batters later Phillips hit his game-securing home run to left center field. Another two batters later designated hitter Alex Robles chipped in an insurance run for a 7-4 lead.
Costanzo (1-0) picked up the victory after limiting the Redbirds to two runs (one earned) on five hits over his 4.2 innings of work. Reliever John Sparks supplied 2.1 innings of scoreless relief before turning the mound over to left-hander Levi Primasing, who tossed the final two innings in his first appearance since the 2015 season, .
Hamilton, Phillips and Gleason – the Govs 4-5-6 hitters -- each went 2-for-4 to pace a 10-hit attack. Phillips and Gleason each had two RBI and four other Govs had an RBI.
Illinois State starter David Meade (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing four runs on six hits in four-plus innings of work. Hutchinson went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and a double to pace the Redbirds offense.
Austin Peay wraps up its opening weekend with a 3:30 p.m., Sunday contest against Indiana State.
