NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Designated hitter Lyle Miller-Green broke a home run drought with two homers and center fielder John Bay added a grand slam as Austin Peay State University's baseball team rolled past Belmont, 13-5, in nonconference action Tuesday at E.S. Rose Park.
Austin Peay (19-13) won a midweek affair for the first time since defeating Gonzaga on Feb. 26. It also extended the Governors win streak to three games as it prepares to host Atlantic Sun Conference co-leader Jacksonville in a three-game series, Friday-Sunday, on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
The Governors got out to a quick start again against the Bruins. Left fielder Clayton Gray singled to open the game and Miller-Green followed with a two-run home run to set the early tone.
Austin Peay put the game out of reach in the third inning. The first five Governors to the plate all reached safely and 11 batted during the inning. Third baseman Brody Szako earned a bases loaded walk to open the inning's scoring and shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar added a second run with a single. After an out, Bay stepped up and hit a line drive down the left field line that squeezed inside the foul pole for a grand slam and a 8-1 lead. Catcher Keaton Cottam tacked on a run-scoring single to push the lead to 9-1.
After a Miller-Green leadoff home run in the fourth, Belmont (17-16) put together a small rally and scored twice in the bottom of the inning. After a leadoff double, catcher Landon Godsey drove in a run with a single. Then after a pair of outs, the Bruins scored another run on left fielder Blake Barton's single.
The Governors bullpen closed the door from there, allowing only one unearned run over the final five innings. Reliever D.J. Merriweather (4-0) was first out of the pen and provided 2.0 innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win. Jackie Robinson and Solomon Washington notched two outs each followed by Khaden Washington and Tyler Hampu, who added 1.1 innings each.
Miller-Green went 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI, ending a 2-for-20 stretch that lasted four games. Bay finished the day 2-for-4 with a double, home run, and four RBI. Gray was 3-for-6 while Gazdar and right fielder Jaden Brown also had two hits.
Barton led Belmont's offense with his 4-for-5, two RBI effort. Bruins starter Blake Ciuffetelli (1-3) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs on six hits over 2.1 innings.
