LOUISVILLE, Ky. – First baseman John McDonald and pinch hitter Matt Joslin each drove in two runs as Austin Peay State University's baseball team defeated Bellarmine, 9-1, Tuesday afternoon at Knights Field.
Bellarmine (7-11) struck first when shortstop Clayton Mehlbauer hit a solo home run in the first inning. But Austin Peay starter Greg Norman (1-1) settled in after the homer and retired nine straight batters and refused to allow another run over his four-inning outing.
Norman set the tone for the Govs pitching staff, which held the Knights without a run over the final eight innings. Reliever Keegan Mills followed Norman with two innings of work, Matt Magrann and Kyle Nunn each supplied an inning with Michael Sturek and Collin Loose splitting the ninth inning.
Austin Peay (5-13) leveled the score in the fourth inning. Third baseman Gino Avros walked with two out and second baseman Malcolm Tipler singled. Center fielder Garrett Spain rifled a ball through the infield for another single, driving in Avros to tie the game.
The Govs took the lead in the fifth with the first three batters reaching base safely. Designated hitter Ty DeLancey and right fielder Harrison Brown each walked to start the frame and catcher Jack Alexander bunted to advance the runners, reaching first safely and a wild throw allowed DeLancey to score. First baseman John McDonald followed with a sacrifice fly and the Govs led 3-1.
Austin Peay tacked on three runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to secure the victory. In the seventh, Matt Joslin provided a pinch-hit two-run double and shortstop Bobby Head earned a bases-loaded walk. In the eighth, the Govs scored runs on McDonald's double, TJ Foreman's pinch-hit triple and John Bolton's foul out, setting the final score.
Spain and Alexander each had three hits to pace the Govs 13-hit offensive attack.
Mehlbauer's 2-for-3 outing, including his first-inning solo home run, led Bellarmine, which the Govs held to six hits.
Bellarmine reliever Devin Ecklar (1-1) allowed three runs on three hits and three walks in an inning of work and suffered the loss.
Austin Peay returns home for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series against Belmont, beginning with a 5 p.m., Friday contest at Raymond C. Hand Park.
