CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's baseball team improved to 6-4 on the year after taking the series opener against Eastern Illinois by a score of 12-5 for its fifth-straight win at home in 2025, Friday at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Roland Fanning sent Kade Shatwell to the mound for his third season start. He threw 4.1 innings, striking out four batters and allowing four runs on five hits and one walk. It was his second consecutive start going more than four innings.
Christian Carew was sent to the mound for the Panthers for his first start of the season in his third appearance. He threw 3.0 innings, striking out two batters and allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits and three walks.
How it Happened
Top 1st | Eastern Illinois got the scoring started early in the first inning on two hits, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch. With a bases-loaded jam and one out, Cade Zalewski was hit by a pitch to bring in the Panthers' first run of the game. Then Chris Worcester singled up the middle to bring in a second run to put EIU up, 0-2.
Bottom 1st | The Govs struck back quickly after a two-spot top half from EIU. Kyler Proctor led off the inning with a solo shot to right field. The last time a Governor led off the game with a home run, was Cameron Nickens at Arizona State (Feb. 17) this season. Nickens got on base with a one-out walk and was brought home by Gus Freeman's third homer of the season to put the Govs in front, 3-2.
Bottom 3rd | Proctor led off the third with a walk and advanced to third on a John Bay single to left. Nickens then picked up his first of the game with an RBI single to center field. He then stole second base and attempted to advance to third on a throwing error by the EIU catcher. He was thrown out trying to advance, but the error allowed Bay to score to make the score 5-2.
Top 4th | Worcester started the inning with a double to right-center and then scored on a two-run home run from Ethan Rossi to make the score 5-4.
Bottom 5th | Nickens collected his second hit of the game with a double to left field, advancing Bay, who walked earlier in the inning, to third base. With two outs in the bottom half, Bay scored on a passed ball to extend the Govs lead, 6-4.
Bottom 7th | Trevor Conley led off the inning, reaching safely on a throwing error from Worcester at second. Two outs later, Bay was hit by a pitch to get Nickens to the plate again. Once again, he hit an RBI double to score Conley and put the Govs up another run, 7-4.
Top 8th | The Panthers pieced together some offense with a leadoff walk, followed by a single to put runners on the corners. Then a single up the middle by Zak Goodwin scored Worcester for the Panthers' fifth run. Kaleb Applebey entered the game in relief for Landon Slemp, who had thrown 2.2 innings before coming out of the game. He retired the next three batters he faced to escape the inning without allowing another run.
Bottom 8th | For the second game in a row, the Governors have pieced together a big two-out rally late in the game. Andres Matias led the inning off with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Ray Velazquez. Conley then grounded out to second for the second out of the inning. Proctor then doubled to left field to score Matias. EIU then intentionally walked Bay to get to Nickens just so that he could get his fourth hit of the game with a three-run blast to center. It was his fifth homer of the season. Freeman came up and got hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a passed ball. Cole Johnson then brought him home with a single to center to make the score 12-5.
Top 9th | Brody Lanham relieved Applebey on the mound and closed out the game without allowing a run, striking out a pair of batters.
Wrap Up
Slemp picked up the win after 2.2 innings of work, striking out three batters and allowing just one run on four hits and a walk. He improved to 2-1 on the season.
Carew was given the loss after three innings of work, allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits and three walks and striking out a pair of batters.
Applebey was given his first hold of the season after entering a save opportunity in the eighth, throwing a complete inning while striking out a batter. He only threw eight pitches, with seven of those being for strikes.
Notables
Nickens: 4-for-4, HR, 2B (2), BB, 5 RBI – Set single-game bests in hits and RBI and matched his best in doubles. Has hit a homer run in three of the last four games.
Proctor: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, BB, 2 RBI – Hit first career home run
Freeman: 1-for-3, HR, BB, 2 RBI
Up Next
The Governors will play game two of the series against Eastern Illinois at 1 p.m. (CT), Saturday, at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond Hand C. Park. All games will be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on ESPN Clarksville 104.1 FM or through the TuneIn app.
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