OXFORD, Miss. – Austin Peay State University's baseball team got out to as good a start as any this season but could not hold on and fell to nationally-ranked Ole Miss 13-9 Tuesday night at Swazye Field.
Austin Peay (15-9) opened the game with center fielder Clayton Gray and designated hitter Lyle Miller-Green hit back-to-back home runs. First baseman Brody Szako singled, and shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar reached on an error to extend the opening rally. Center fielder John Bay and third baseman Jayden Brown followed with singles to drive in runs and give the Govs a 4-0 lead.
Ole Miss (18-8) responded with four runs in its half of the inning. The Rebels also saw their first three batters reach base safely with singles before a hit batsman loaded the bases. Center fielder Will Furniss, right fielder Treyson Hughes, and catcher Eli Berch each drove in runs to tie the game 4-4.
The teams traded runs in the third inning before Ole Miss used a four-run third inning to build a 9-5 lead. The Rebels tacked on runs in four of the next five innings to build a 13-5 advantage. Meanwhile, Ole Miss relievers held Austin Peay scoreless for six consecutive innings, with four pitchers combining for seven scoreless innings following starter Kyler Carmack.
The Governors broke through again in the ninth with the long ball. Pinch hitter Justin Olson led off the inning with a home run to right field. Gray singled and Miller-Green was hit by a pitch to put two aboard with no outs. Gazdar hit a 2-0 pitch into the Austin Peay bullpen for a three-run home run, setting the final score.
Austin Peay's four-homer outing was its sixth consecutive multi-homer game, and it has 22 home runs during the stretch. Miller-Green hit his 14th home run of the season, Gray hit his sixth, and Gazdar and Olson notched their fourth home run.
Gray was a double shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored, adding a second-inning triple to his leadoff home run. Miller-Green was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Gazdar was 1-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
Austin Peay reliever Tre' Speer, making his collegiate debut, suffered the loss after allowing four runs in the third inning.
Hughes led Ole Miss with a 3-for-4, three-RBI effort. Left fielder Ethan Lege was 1-for-3 with a solo home run and scored three times. Reliever Mitch Murrell picked up the win with two innings of scoreless relief.
Austin Peay continues its five-game road trip with a pivotal three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series at Kennesaw State which  begins with a 5 p.m. (CT), Thursday contest.
