MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Designated hitter Jack Alexander went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run but Austin Peay State University's baseball team saw a lead evaporate over the final three innings in a 7-6 loss to Middle Tennessee, Tuesday night, at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
Austin Peay (7-11) scored the game's first two runs – on Alexander's first-inning two-run shot – but trailed 3-2 after the first inning. The Governors tied the game, 3-3, with a run on catcher Tyler Cotto's ground out in the second.
The Governors broke the tie in the fourth inning when right fielder Gino Avros battled back from an 0-2 count to earn a bases-loaded walk for the 4-3 lead. Shortstop John Bolton followed with a run-scoring single to right field and the lead stood at 5-3. Later, second baseman Jonah Beamon extended the lead to 6-3 with his sixth-inning leadoff home run
Middle Tennessee (7-10) was stymied for five innings as Austin Peay relievers Zach Wyatt and Tyler Delong combined for 4.0 innings of scoreless relief. Wyatt opened his outing by striking out five consecutive batters and retired all seven he faced. Delong took over in the sixth and retired the first four batters he faced before running into trouble.
Blue Raiders designated hitter Jackson Galloway broke up the scoreless run in the seventh with a one-out triple that eluded the Govs outfield defense. Pinch hitter Wyatt Morgan followed with a two-run home run, slashing the Govs lead to one run, 6-5.
Middle Tennessee brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the eighth but Delong and relievers Kyle Nunn and Nick Wellman combined to deny the Blue Raiders the tying run.
The Blue Raiders threatened again in the ninth with the leadoff batter hit by a pitch, putting the tying run back on base, and an attempted sacrifice bunt eluded the Govs defense and resulted in a single and two aboard with no outs.
Wellman quickly got to two outs with a strikeout and fly out. But third baseman Brett Coker singled to shallow right to tie the game. After a walk, a wild pitch allowed reserve center fielder Brian Dillingham to score the winning run.
Wellman (0-1) took the loss after allowing two runs on two hits and a walk while recording three outs.
Sells (1-1) threw three scoreless innings to close the game and pick up the win for Middle Tennessee.
Alexander led the Govs with a 2-for-3, two RBI, two walk outing. Beamon also had two hits, including his solo home run, and an RBI.
Catcher Mason Spiers went 2-for-3 for MTSU's lone multi-hit outing. Left fielder Nathan Sanders went 1-for-3 with two RBI, including his first-inning two-run double.
Austin Peay returns home to host Evansville in a 6 p.m., Wednesday contest on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park. It will be the Govs first home night game of 2022.
