LEADING OFF

Austin Peay begins its first road trip of the season when it meets nationally-ranked Vanderbilt in a 4:30 p.m., Wednesday contest at Hawkins Field in Nashville.

The Governors hit the road after picking up their first two wins of 2019, sweeping a Sunday doubleheader against Northern Illinois. Austin Peay enjoyed its two biggest offensive outings of the young campaign against the Huskies, scoring a combined 23 runs in the doubleheader after posting just 13 runs in their season's first four games.

Vanderbilt also swept its home Sunday doubleheader against Pepperdine, improving to 3-0 at Hawkins Field this season. The Commodores are ranked among the nation's top 40 in batting average (9th, .336) and scoring (39th, 8.0 runs per game) after the season's first two weekends.

FIRST HACKS

• Center fielder Garrett Spain has a hit and a RBI in each of his first six collegiate games. He is ranked 13th among Division I freshmen in batting average (.458).
• Senior catcher David Martinez went 5-for-8 in the three-game SAF Dirt Classic, last weekend. He pushed his season average to team-leading .467, which ranks 11th among Division I catchers.
• Utility man Parker Phillips hit three home runs in Game 1 of the Northern Illinois doubleheader, going 3-for-4 with five RBI. The redshirt junior also scored six times on the weekend and leads the Govs with nine runs scored in 2019.
• Sophomore shortstop Bobby Head had three hits last weekend, but two of those left the park as he finished with five RBI. He  had just one home run last season.
• Senior outfielder Aaron Campbell had a hit and three walks  (.333 OBP) during the SAF Dirt Classic, driving in two runs with a double in Game 1 against Northern Illinois.
• Redshirt senior second baseman Garrett Kueber moved into the leadoff spot for the first two games of the SAF Dirt Classic and he responded with a 4-for-9, two RBI outing in the two games.
• Junior Malcolm Tipler began the weekend at third base but moved into left field for the NIU doubleheader. He also moved into the No. 2 spot in the lineup versus the Huskies, going 1-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored in Game 1.
• With Tipler's move into left field, freshman Gino Avros started at third base in both halves of Sunday's doubleheader. He went 1-for-3 with a walk in the first game, batting ninth, before moving to the leadoff spot in Game 2 and posting a 1-for-5 outing.
• Making his first appearance of the year, freshman Matt Joslin was the Govs starting designated hitter in the NIU twinbill. He had a RBI single in Game 1 of the set.
• Sophomore transfer Griffin Rivers started the season's first four games in left field before Tipler was moved into that spot against NIU.
• Senior catcher Alex Sala started Game 2 of the 2019 season behind the plate and has seen action three times off the bench for the Govs.

GOVS vs. VANDERBILT

• Austin Peay has played Vanderbilt more than any other Southeastern Conference team, Wednesday's meeting will be the 80th meeting between the two instate foes.
• The Commodores own a 53-24-2 lead in the all-time series, including a 31-10-2 mark in Nashville.
• Vanderbilt has won all three meetings since the series resumed in 2016.
• Austin Peay's last victory against Vanderbilt was an April 27, 2010 contest in Clarksville, the last meeting between the two before a six-season hiatus in the series.
• In the Govs last win, Matt Kole hit a game-tying grand slam in the sixth inning and took the lead when Adam Browett walked, stole second, reached third on an error and scampered home on a wild pitch. David Vicini picked up the win in relief and Zach Gerler notched the save.