Austin Peay's baseball team closes a four-game homestand when it hosts Middle Tennessee in a 6 p.m., Tuesday contest on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

The Governors opened the homestand dropping a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series against Tennessee Tech. Austin Peay won the middle game of the series thanks to a solid pitching performance that saw starter Luke Brown allowing only two runs through six innings followed by three shutout innings by the bullpen. Shortstop Bobby Head had a pair of two-hit outings against the Golden Eagles and went 4-for-11.

Middle Tennessee split a four-game series against Valparaiso last weekend, winning the opener and finale. Shortstop Fausto Lopez leads the Blue Raiders with a .300 batting average, four doubles, nine RBI and 10 runs scored this season.  

INSIDE THE SERIES

The Series: Middle Tennessee leads, 135-73
Previously: APSU and MT split the 2019 home-and-home set with the home team winning each game. The Govs claimed a 10-3 victory in Clarksville.
Streak: MT, one win
Notably: Middle Tennessee has won six of the last eight meetings in the series. Austin Peay last swept the home-and-home series in 2015 while MT last swept the series in 2018.

PROBABLE STARTER

• NOLAN O'SHONEY (Fr., RHP) vs. TBA

FIRST HACKS

• Austin Peay hasn't been afraid to throw different players into the lineup this season with 16 different hitters recording a start this season. Only one Govs player – catcher Jack Alexander – has started every game.
• Left fielder TJ Foreman's was a big part of the Govs' Game 2 victory against Tennessee Tech, Sunday, going 2-for-3 with a double, triple and two RBI. It was his second multi-hit game this season.
• Preseason All-OVC center fielder Garrett Spain missed the weekend series against Tennessee Tech. He currently has a 6-game hit streak on hold and is batting 8-for-22 (.363) during the streak with 4 RBI.
• Skyler Luna returned to the lineup in the Tennessee Tech series, played center field in all three games, and had a hit in both games of Sunday's doubleheader, going 2-for-6 on the day.
• Third baseman Gino Avros has been finding ways on base and has a team-best 11 walks in 13 games. He picked up three walks against TTU last weekend and tacked on a RBI single in Game 2 of the series, Sunday.
• Bobby Head has started at all four infield positions this season. He hit his season's second home run in the TTU series opener, Saturday, as part of a 2-for-4, two RBI, three-run scored performance.
• Catcher Jack Alexander hit his second homer of 2021 in Saturday's series opener against TTU and had a RBI in the Govs' Game 2 victory, Sunday.
• Malcolm Tipler started all three games of the TTU series at second base and had a hit in each game. He finished the series 4-for-12 with a double.  
• Harrison Brown has started six straight games in right field for Austin Peay. He was held without a hit against TTU but walked twice in the series.
• Ty DeLancey filled in at first base for the Govs against Tennessee Tech last weekend. He had a two-run home run in the opener and was 2-for-8 with three RBI.  
• Matt Joslin was the Govs designated hitter in Games 1 & 2 against Tennessee Tech and walked three times in the opener. He followed that with a 1-for-4 outing that included a stolen base and run scored.

RAYMOND C. HAND PARK ADMISSION POLICIES

• Purchase tickets online at www.LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets.
• Guests must maintain proper social distancing while inside the facility.
• Masks are required to cover both the mouth and nose at all times while in the facility.
• Failure to wear masks or maintain proper social distancing may result in guests being asked to leave the facility.
• No seating permitted in the upper two rows of the chairback seating.
• Pets are not permitted inside Raymond C. Hand Park; however, service dogs (i.e., guide dogs for persons with disabilities) are allowed in the ballpark.