DELAND, Fla. – Friday's Atlantic Sun Conference opener between Austin Peay State University's baseball team and host Stetson was a tale of two halves. The Governors roared out of the game and led by as many as five runs before seeing the Hatters score the final nine runs in a 12-8 loss on Melching Field at Conrad Park.
Austin Peay (28-17, 14-8 ASUN) started the game with a bang, scoring in each of the first four innings. The Governors set the pace with three runs in the first inning, led by first baseman Harrison Brown's two-run double and center fielder John Bay's RBI single.
The Govs extended their lead with a run in the second as right fielder Lyle Miller-Green drove in a run on a fielder's choice. In the third inning, designated hitter Jaden Brown hit a solo home run to push the Govs lead to 5-0.
Stetson (30-16, 15-7 ASUN) broke through in the third after center fielder Kyle Jones extended the inning with a two-out walk. Third baseman Isaiah Barkett doubled to drive in two runs. However, Austin Peay responded with two runs in the fourth inning on a Brody Szako double, which returned the Govs' lead to five runs, 7-2.
The Hatters manufactured a run through a pair of singles and shortstop Lorenzo Meola's sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. After neither team scored in the fifth, Austin Peay used a run-scoring double by shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar to push the lead back to five, 8-3.
Stetson began its big push in the sixth inning when four consecutive batters reached base with one out. After Gio Cueto was hit by a pitch and left fielder Logan Hughes earned a walk, first baseman Lorenzo Meola and designated hitter Brandon Hylton hit back-to-back RBI singles, ending Austin Peay starting pitcher Jacob Weaver's night.
However, the Govs' bullpen could not immediately stem the Hatters' run. Stetson earned back-to-back walks against the first APSU reliever, with the second walk forcing a run and another pitching change. Govs reliever Tyler Hampu took over and got a strikeout against the first batter he faced but hit the next batter, forcing in the inning's fourth run. But Hampu recovered and got a flyout to preserve an 8-7 Austin Peay lead.
However, the Govs lead would not survive the seventh inning. With one out, the Hatters got back-to-back singles to put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Meola stepped up and hit the first pitch he saw for a three-run home run, giving Stetson a 10-8 lead it would not relinquish.
The Hatters would not relinquish the lead as its bullpen held the Austin Peay's offense quiet after the sixth inning. Stetson reliever Chris Shine (2-0) struck out the Govs in order in the seventh to secure the win. Zane Coppersmith followed and provided two scoreless innings of relief, working around a single and a walk in the eighth to pick up his second save.
Hampu (1-3) lost after allowing five runs on three hits and two walks in two innings of relief. Weaver went 5.1 innings and allowed seven runs on six hits.
All nine Austin Peay batters recorded a hit in the loss, which saw APSU outhit Stetson by a 15-10 margin. Gazdar went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI to lead the way. Jaden Brown was one of four APSU hitters to record two hits and had the Govs' lone home run.
Meola led Stetson with his 2-for-3, five-RBI performance. Hughes was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
With the loss, Austin Peay fell into a tie for third place with FGCU, which defeated Jacksonville on Friday. Stetson entered a tie for first place with its win and Jacksonville's loss.
Austin Peay and Stetson continue their three-game series with a 5:30 p.m. (CT) Saturday outing at Melching Field.
