CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Third baseman Brody Szako hit a home run and also provided a walk-off single as Austin Peay State University's baseball team stormed past Bellarmine in a 14-4 run-rule victory in seven innings to win its Atlantic Sun Conference series Sunday on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park. It also was the program's 800th victory at its current facility, which it has called home since 1970.
Austin Peay (18-13, 7-5 ASUN) rallied from an early one-run deficit courtesy of back-to-back home runs by right fielder Harrison Brown and center fielder John Bay.
But Austin Peay broke the game open in the third inning for the second straight day. A second set of back-to-back home runs highlighted the Govs' seven-run outburst. Left fielder Clayton Gray and shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar had run-scoring base hits. Then, with two outs, right fielder Connor Gore and second baseman Ambren Voitik went back-to-back, closing the inning's scoring with APSU leading 9-1.
Szako's home run was a two-run shot in the fourth inning that put the Govs lead into run-rule territory at 11-1. A wild pitch in the fifth provided another run and a 12-1 advantage.
Bellarmine (5-26, 4-8 ASUN) avoided a run-rule loss in its half of the seventh inning by taking advantage of the Govs' bullpen and a pair of defensive miscues. The two errors resulted in runs scoring each time, while first baseman Casey Sorg provided an RBI single as the Knights trimmed their deficit to 12-4.
Austin Peay went to work in its half of the inning, with Gore opening the inning with a single. A pitch hit catcher Gus Freeman to represent the game-winning run. Designated hitter Lyle Miller-Green drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before Szako provided a two-out single off the center field wall to drive in the winning run.
Miller-Green (4-1) won the win as the Govs' starting pitcher, holding Bellarmine to one run on five hits while striking out seven batters over five innings.
Szako was 2-for-5 with three RBI to pace the Govs' offense. Gore was also 2-for-3 with three RBI, including his first home run of the season.
Sorg, center fielder Will Aubel, and shortstop Luke Scales each had two hits to pace Bellarmine's seven-hit attack. Starting pitcher Ryan Johnson (1-1) lost after allowing six runs on five hits in 2.1 innings.
Austin Peay makes a quick trip south for a 4 p.m., Tuesday game against Belmont at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville. The Govs then return home to face ASUN co-leader Jacksonville in a three-game series that starts at 6 p.m., Friday.
