FLORENCE, Ala. - Starting pitcher Jacob Weaver allowed two runs over five-plus innings, and reliever Davin Pollard tossed 3.1 scoreless innings, sending Austin Peay State University's baseball team to the ASUN Baseball Championship with a 6-2 conference win against North Alabama, Saturday, on Mike Lane Field.
With the victory, Austin Peay (25-30, 15-15 ASUN) advances to the ASUN tournament in its inaugural season in the league and in head coach Roland Fanning's first season as head coach. The complete tournament schedule will be released by the ASUN Conference Sunday.
North Alabama (14-37, 8-22 ASUN) scored first for the first time in the series and used an Austin Peay error to take the lead. Right fielder Jonathan Lane got aboard on a fielder's choice and moved to second when the Govs hit a batter. Left fielder Andrew Knight hit into a potential double play, but the throw to first base got in the dirt and past the Govs' first baseman, allowing Lane to score.
Austin Peay quickly tied the game in the second with right fielder John Bay hammering a home run to left field. His second homer in as many games leveled the score, 1-1.
The Govs then took the lead in the third when left fielder Clayton Gray walked with two outs, and designated hitter Lyle Miller-Green and third baseman Andrew Voitik each singled to load the bases. Shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar earned the Govs' second walk of the inning to score Gray and give APSU a 2-1 lead.
The Austin Peay lead would not survive the inning as North Alabama rallied to tie the game with two outs. Lane led the inning off with a double and moved to third on a groundout. Weaver would throw a pitch in the dirt and past the Govs' catcher, allowing Lane to score the game-tying run.
But that was all Weaver would allow the North Alabama offense for the remainder of his 5.2-inning outing. He would leave two men on base with two out, but Pollard extinguished the threat with the first of his career-high six strikeouts.
Austin Peay manufactured the go-ahead run in the fourth inning. First baseman Conner Gore doubled to start the inning. Second baseman Jaden Brown hit a deep fly ball to center field, advancing Gore. Catcher Gus Freeman then hit a fly ball to the warning track in right field, allowing Gore to score for the 3-2 lead.
The Govs would tack on insurance runs in the sixth and eighth innings. Austin Peay loaded the bases in the sixth and scored twice, with center fielder Nathan Barksdale earning a bases-loaded walk and Gray beating out a potential inning-ending double play to allow a second run to score. Freeman then provided the game's final run with his solo home run to left center field in the eighth.
Meanwhile, Pollard would retire the Lions in order in the seventh and eighth innings and ultimately retired the first nine batters he faced before allowing a two-out walk in the ninth. But the Govs closer struck out the last man he faced to end the game.
Weaver (3-3) picked up his second win in the regular season's final three weeks. He held the Lions to two runs (one earned) on eight hits and three walks. Pollard notched his sixth save with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, striking out nine.
Bay's 2-for-4 effort, which included a home run and a bunt single, paced the Govs' seven-hit attack. Freeman went 1-for-2 with two RBI.
North Alabama starter Justus Agosto (2-6) took the loss after allowing five runs on five hits and five walks in his six innings. Lane went 2-for-4 with two runs scored to lead the Lions' eight-hit offensive day.
