FORT MYERS, Fla. – Utility man Harrison Brown supplied the first and last runs as part of a 2-for-5, three-RBI day, and Austin Peay State University's baseball team hung on for a 9-6 Atlantic Sun Conference victory against Florida Gulf Coast Saturday at Swanson Stadium.
Austin Peay starting pitcher Andrew Devine (6-0) returned to form Saturday, pitching six quality innings. He held FGCU to two runs on four hits as he won his sixth start in 10 tries. Reliever Adam Walker provided 1.2 innings of scoreless relief before closer Titan Kennedy-Hayes notched his fifth save with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.
Meanwhile, Austin Peay (22-16, 10-7 ASUN) provided run support via several different methods. The Governors hit leadoff home runs in the second, fourth, and sixth innings, with Harrison Brown providing the second-inning homer for the Gov's first run. Austin Peay also manufactured four runs in a key fifth inning before Harrison Brown provided two key insurance runs in the ninth.
The Governors broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning, using the Eagles' preferred scoring method against them. Austin Peay opened the inning with a walk and a single, before left fielder Clayton Gray put the Govs out front with an RBI single. Designated hitter Lyle Miller-Green followed with another run-scoring single to chase the Eagles reliever.
The pitching change did not have FGCU's desired effect, as third baseman Brody Szako greeted the new pitcher with a double on the first pitch he saw. Shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar added a run via a sacrifice fly to close the inning's scoring, giving APSU a 6-2 lead.
FGCU (19-18, 11-6 ASUN) mounted its comeback attempt in the seventh against the Governors bullpen. Similar to Austin Peay's fourth inning, FGCU opened with a single, then with one out, it loaded the bases with a double and a walk. Second baseman Charles Davalan cleared the bases with a double down the right field line, trimming the Govs lead to 7-5. After another walk, a wild pitch allowed a fourth run to score and the Govs lead was down to 7-6.
The Govs turned to Walker, who started slowly, loading the bases with a pair of infield singles. But he bounced back and induced a pop out and a fly out to end the threat and leave the Govs with a one-run lead. He returned in the eighth and worked around a leadoff walk by striking out two of the next three batters to keep FGCU off the scoreboard.
Austin Peay got much-needed insurance in the ninth after Gray and Miller-Green walked to open the inning. After a runner was caught stealing following a pitching change, Szako singled, and Gazdar ground out to put two runners in scoring position with two out. A second FGCU pitching change in the inning saw Harrison Brown greet the new arm with a single through the right side, scoring both runners and setting the scene for Kennedy-Hayes' save.
Brown went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, including a home run. Gazdar homered in the fourth, part of his 1-for-4, two-RBI day. First baseman Justin Olson led off the sixth with a home run to highlight his 2-for-4 outing.
FGCU starter Lucas Hartman (5-3) lost after allowing six runs on seven hits in four-plus innings of work. Davalan's three-run homer was his lone hit in a 1-for-4 day. Third baseman Javier Gorostola had the Eagles' lone multihit outing, finishing 2-for-4.
Austin Peay and FGCU close their three-game ASUN series with a noon (CT) Sunday contest at Swanson Stadium.
