LYNCHBURG, Va. – Designated hitter Lyle Miller-Green's first-inning two-run home run put Austin Peay State University out front but they could not hold on to a four-run lead and fell 6-5 in 10 innings to Liberty in ASUN Conference action on Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
Austin Peay (10-14, 3-3 ASUN) built on Miller-Green's home run with single runs in both the second and fifth innings without the benefit of a base hit and led 4-0 after five innings.
Meanwhile, Governors starting pitcher Jacob Kush kept Liberty's offense tied up. He retired the first eight batters before issuing a two-out walk in the third inning. Kush wouldn't allow his first base hit until Liberty center fielder Jaylen Guy led off the fifth inning with a single, but Kush worked around the single to keep the Flames off the scoreboard.
Liberty (11-12, 3-3 ASUN) would break through against Kush in the sixth inning. Right fielder Camden Troyer led off the inning with a walk and third baseman Cam Foster hit a one-out, two-run home run to cut APSU's lead in half, 4-2.
Austin Peay appeared to add to its lead in the seventh. Centerfielder Garrett Martin and first baseman Harrison Brown each earned walks. Shortstop Jaden Brown hit a slow roller toward second base where the Liberty defender and Harrison Brown evaded one another with no out recorded on the play and Martin crossing home plate. The Flames challenged the play, and after review, it was ruled Harrison Brown interfered with the defender, negating the run.
Liberty could not be denied in the eighth inning as it took a 5-4 lead. The Flames opened with back-to-back singles before recording an out. After a walk loaded the bases, shortstop Jake Lazzaro tied the game with a two-run single. Austin Peay nearly escaped the inning with the game tied, but it could not turn a double play on Guy's ground ball, and a third run scored for a 5-3 Liberty lead.
The Governors rallied in the ninth, with Martin and second baseman Jon Jon Gazdar getting on base to start the inning. After a strikeout, Jayden Brown hit a ground ball to shortstop that the Flames could not turn for two outs. Instead, Martin bolted home after the throw to first bounced off the turf, and he touched home ahead of the tag to tie the game.
Liberty would break the tie in the 10th, and a Governors' error proved crucial. With two outs, Guy hit a ground ball to shortstop, where it was mishandled, allowing the runner to reach base and extend the inning. After a walk, second baseman Nathan Keeter rifled a single back up the middle of the infield, driving in the game-winning run.
Austin Peay reliever Campbell Holt (2-1) pitched the 10th inning and allowed the one unearned run on a hit and a walk. Kush went 6.1 innings while limiting Liberty to two runs on two hits and five walks while striking out five batters.
Gazdar led the Govs offense with a 2-for-4 outing. Miller-Green was 1-for-3 with two RBI and two walks.
Liberty reliever Cole Garrett (2-1) pitched a scoreless 10th inning and struck out two batters for the win. Foster and Lazzaro had one hit and two RBI to lead the Flames' offense.
Up Next
Austin Peay begins a five-game homestand when it hosts Murray State in a 6 p.m., Tuesday contest on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park. The Govs then host Bellarmine (7-17, 2-4 ASUN) in a three-game ASUN Conference set scheduled to begin Friday.
Governor of the Game
For the second-straight game, Lyle Miller-Green hit a two-run home run in the first inning to give APSU an early lead. He then walked twice, including a leadoff walk in the fifth inning. He would eventually score in that inning when third baseman Ambren Voitik was hit by a pitch, giving APSU a 4-0 lead.
