CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's baseball team looks to solidify its spot atop the Atlantic Sun Conference when it travels to Central Arkansas for a three-game series, Friday-Sunday, at Bear Stadium. The Govs' final regular season road trip starts with a 6 p.m. Friday contest. Austin Peay and Central Arkansas continue the series with a 4 p.m. Saturday outing before wrapping up the weekend with a 1 p.m. Sunday affair.

ASUN SERIES SCENE SETTER

Austin Peay: The Govs claimed sole possession of first place in the ASUN Conference with their 2-1 series win at Stetson last weekend. Austin Peay has won 10 of its last 11 games (since April 20) and 15 of its last 19 (since April 6). Since April 6, the APSU offense has averaged 13.9 runs per game while batting .407 with 71 home runs and a .497 on-base percentage. The Govs also returned to the teams that received votes in the NCBWA Top 25 poll this week.

Belmont: The Bears opened their current six-game homestand by dropping an ASUN Conference series to Lipscomb, 2-1. In losing Game 1 of that series, UCA saw its seven-game wins streak snapped. Central Arkansas swept Bellarmine and North Alabama while sandwiching a win against Arkansas State during that win streak.

GOVS TOP NOTES AND NOTABLES

THESE GOVS ABSOLUTELY RAKE

Entering this week's action, Austin Peay's offense is producing at a historic pace. Austin Peay enters the weekend leading all Division I teams in total home runs (130) and total doubles (130). In addition, the Govs lead the ASUN, rank among the NCAA Top 2, and are on pace to set program records in each of the following averages:

BEWARE THE K

Meanwhile, Austin Peay's pitching staff continues to strike out opponents at a near-record pace, averaging 9.71 strikeouts per nine innings. That rate is among the best in program history, narrowly behind the 2019 staff's 9.92 strikeout rate (556 Ks/504.1 IP). This season's strikeout rate ranks 37th among Division I teams and leads all ASUN squads.

FIRST HACKS

• On Tuesday, center fielder John Bay hit his fourth grand slam of 2024 against Belmont. Bay has three grand slams in his last five games while batting .381 (8-21) with 18 RBI. He has hit 11 of his 22 home runs since April 5.
• First baseman/right fielder Harrison Brown is the reigning ASUN Player of the Week after posting 17 RBI over four games last week, including a program-record 11 RBI against Alabama A&M last Tuesday. He was held hitless against Belmont on Tuesday but reached twice and scored a run.
• Utility man Jaden Brown hit home runs in the first two games at Stetson after hitting a homer against Alabama A&M earlier in the week. He has hit five of his seven home runs since April 21.
• Catcher Keaton Cottam enjoyed his second straight three-hit Tuesday after going 3-for-4 with a career-best three RBI against Belmont after going  3-for-5 with four runs scored against AAMU last Tuesday.
• Catcher Gus Freeman saw his six-game hit streak snapped Sunday. Still, he is batting .560 (14-25) over his last seven games with 14 runs scored, four doubles, a home run, and six RBI.
• Shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar led the Govs with a .727 (8-11) batting average at Stetson last weekend and followed that with a 4-for-6 effort against Belmont Tuesday that included his 11th home run. He has reached base safely in 21 of his previous 26 plate appearances (.808 OBP).
• Infielder Conner Gore broke out with a 4-for-5 outing against Alabama A&M, including a double, two RBI, and three runs scored. He is batting .429 (9-21) in his last five starts, with two doubles, two home runs, and seven RBI.
• Right fielder Clayton Gray extended his hit streak to 11 games with his 22nd double of 2024 against Belmont. He is batting .457 (21-46) during the hit streak. Gray is the first Govs batter with two 20-double campaigns during their career.
• Two-way man Lyle Miller-Green, the ASUN Preseason Player of the Year, hit his 27th home run against Belmont on Tuesday. He leads all Division I hitters with 84 runs scored and ranks second in home runs (27) and RBI (80). LMG is one homer shy of breaking the ASUN single-season record and needs only two RBI to break the APSU record. 
• First baseman Justin Olson extended his streak of reaching safely to eight games with his 1-for-4 outing against Belmont on Tuesday, which included his eighth home run.
• On Tuesday, third baseman Brody Szako saw his 10-game hit streak end against Belmont. During the streak, which included nine multi-hit games, he batted .439 (18-41) with five doubles, four home runs, and 18 RBI.   
• Second baseman Ambren Voitik hit his 11th home run of the season in a 2-for-3 outing against Belmont on Tuesday. Since April 26 (8 games), he has scored 15 runs while batting in the eighth and ninth spots in the batting order.
• Infielder Mateo Hernandez and outfielder Nathan Barksdale have been part of the Govs' "Hands Team," each entering the game defensively when the Govs are leading late.

FOLLOW ALONG

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