CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Starting pitcher Lyle Miller-Green homered twice, but Austin Peay State University's baseball team dropped an 8-7 nonconference decision to Southeast Missouri Tuesday night on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay (13-7) grabbed an early lead thanks to a three-run first inning. Miller-Green started the rally with a single, and Brody Szako followed with a double to tie the game 1-1. Right fielder Harrison Brown hit a two-out double to drive in Szako for the lead. Center fielder John Bay tripled into the right-field corner to drive in Brown, and the Govs led 3-1.
Southeast Missouri (9-13) took advantage of an Austin Peay error to regain the lead with three runs in the second inning. The Redhawks started the inning with back-to-back singles but used a sacrifice bunt to move the runners and then recorded a second out. Miller-Green appeared to get the ground ball he needed to end the inning, but an error extended the frame and allowed a run to score. The Redhawks jumped on the miscue with shortstop Ben Palmer's two-run double to take a 4-3 lead.
The Governors trailed 5-3 entering the sixth inning but used another two-out rally to tie the game. Miller-Green tied the game with his first home run to deep center field with second baseman Conner Gore on base. After a Szako single, shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar doubled to give APSU a 6-5 lead.
The Redhawks tied the game in the seventh after starting the inning with back-to-back walks. Southeast Missouri followed that with back-to-back bunts, the first a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position before catcher Nolan Ackerman singled on his bunt attempt to drive in the tying run.
Austin Peay and Southeast Missouri traded solo home runs in the eighth. Palmer homered in the top of the inning to give the Redhawks a 7-6 lead. Austin Peay responded with Miller-Green's second home run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game again.
But Southeast Missouri loaded the bases with three one-out walks in the ninth. Austin Peay seemed poised to escape the threat with a strikeout to get the second out. However, a wild pitch allowed the winning run to score before a second strikeout ended the inning.
Miller-Green finished the game 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs and three RBI. Gazdar went 2-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI. Austin Peay finished the game with 11 hits, including five doubles, a triple, and two home runs.
Govs reliever Solomon Washington (0-1) took the loss after allowing a run on three walks in his inning of work. Miller-Green allowed five runs (one earned) on six hits over 3.2 innings.
Palmer led Southeast Missouri was 2-for-6 with a double, home run, and three RBI. Ackerman was 2-for-2 with two RBI. Alex Hayes (1-1) picked up the win after working the seventh and eighth innings, and Collin Wilma notched his third save with a scoreless ninth inning.
