CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University's baseball team returns home to welcome the Bisons of Lipscomb in a three-game weekend series to open up Atlantic Sun Conference play starting at 1 p.m. (CT), Friday, at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

LEADING OFF

The Governors come back home after their recent loss at Southern Indiana on Tuesday by a score of 4-6. The Governors have been successful at home this season winning 10 of their 11 games at home. The Govs have won their last three weekend series against Purdue Fort Wayne, Eastern Illinois, and St. Thomas (MN) to open up the home calendar. Last weekend, Austin Peay took three games from St. Thomas (MN) in its four-game series at home, where the Govs scored 42 runs on 51 hits. Breakout performances at the plate from Ray Velazquez, Andres Matias, and Kyler Proctor powered the offense over the Tommies.

FIRST HACKS

The Governors last weekend hit for a combined average of .352 with an on-base percentage of .460 and a slugging of .503. As a team, they had 51 hits, 16 of those being for extra bases. 

• Infielder Ray Velazquez saw a breakout weekend at the plate against St. Thomas (MN), batting .667 over the weekend. He collected six base hits and six RBI in just nine at-bats. He had a pinch-hit single in the series opener, and had a 3-for-3 performance in game three. In the series finale, he went 2-for-5 with four RBI. Over the entire weekend, he did not strike out, and he fielded a perfect 1.000 at the hot corner.
• Center fielder John Bay is batting .328 on the season after struggling at the plate last weekend. In the series against St. Thomas, he batted .190 (4-for-21) with a home run and a double. He reached base on a walk, and collected two RBI, while also swiping a bag on the bases. After the loss at USI, Bay is looking himself after going 2-for-4 against the Screaming Eagles.
• First baseman/catcher Gus Freeman has started every game at first for the Govs so far this season. He bats .333 coming into the conference opener. Last weekend against UST, he went 3-for-11 with two RBI. Freeman ranks in the top-10 of seven ASUN offensive categories, including a .538 on-base percentage which leads all ASUN hitters. He carries a 15-game on-base streak coming into the weekend.
• Infielder Andres Matias had a pair of career days at the plate against UST. In the series opener, he went 3-for-5 with four RBI. Then in the series finale, he went 4-for-5 with his second homer of the season and a double while tallying four RBI. He set single game highs in hits and RBI in the finale.
• Outfielder Cameron Nickens was named ASUN Player of the Week after a strong performance at the plate against Eastern Illinois in the week prior to St. Thomas. Last weekend against UST, he was 8-for-16 (.500) at the plate with three doubles and four RBI. He walked five times and was hit by a pitch once, while only striking out once. He had an OBP of .636, and a .688 slugging. He leads the ASUN in runs scored, while also ranking in the top-10 of 10 other ASUN offensive categories. He has also reached base safely in every game this season.
• Infielder Kyler Proctor batted .368 last weekend with three doubles. He tallied three RBI out of the leadoff spot, and walked three times. Proctor carries the longest hit streak of any Gov in the lineup, at 10 games. He bats .344 on the season and ranks third in the Govs lineup with 14 RBI.
• Infielder/designated hitter Cole Johnson batted .286 over the weekend against St. Thomas, collecting a home run and a double. He batted in six runs and walked three times. He's batting .291 on the year with five extra-base hits, including two home runs, and ranks third in the Govs lineup with 14 RBI.
• Catcher Trevor Conley got off to a slow start at the plate this year, but has turned things around and is heating up. He has recorded a double in the last four games he's played in.

FACING THE BISONS

Series History

• APSU leads 75-72-1 overall after winning 2-of-3 games last year on the road. The Governors fell in game one of the series, 3-5. But they came back to win the next two by scores of 12-1, and 11-6.
• In the second game of the series last year, Andrew Devine threw the Govs last complete game in seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits and a walk, while striking out seven.
• The Governors hit nine home runs in the series last season, and outscored the Bisons 26-12.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Redshirt senior infielder, David Coppedge was selected to the All-ASUN Preseason team. He led the Bisons last season offensively with a .313 batting average and an OPS of 1.058. He recorded 19 extra-base hits, including 10 home runs, while driving in 24 runs.
• Coppedge bats an even .300 coming into the weekend with a pair of home runs and 11 RBI. He currently leads the bisons in extra-base hits with nine.
• Right-handed pitcher Jake Poindexter was recently named ASUN Pitcher of the Week, March 3, after tossing seven shutout innings with six strikeouts, allowing six hits and two walks, in the victory over Villanova Feb. 28.
• He leads Lipscomb on the mound with a 4.87 ERA coming into the series. He has a 1-2 overall record over four starts. He has thrown 20.1 innings and has struck out 18 batters, allowing 12 runs, 11 earned, on 26 hits and 10 walks.

SCOUTING THE BISONS

AT THE PLATE

The Lipscomb offense is currently hitting .229, which ranks ninth in the ASUN. As a team, the Bisons have 31 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs, and have tallied 57 RBI.

ON THE MOUND

The Bisons have a team ERA of 6.23, ranking eighth in the ASUN. Over 15 games, Lipscomb has allowed 109 runs, 92 earned, and has an opponent batting average of .295.

TICKET INFORMATION

Single-game tickets are available now on Ticketmaster.com.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Fans unable to attend can listen to the weekend series on ESPN Clarksville 104.1 FM in the Clarksville area or through the TuneIn app on their mobile device. Van Stokes, who is in his 25th season as the Govs play-by-play voice, will have the call all weekend.

All games will be streamed on ESPN+. Alex Gould will have the call for every game this weekend.

FOLLOW ALONG

Keep up to date with all Governors baseball on the official website of Austin Peay Athletics - www.LetsGoPeay.com. Follow @GovsBSB on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for all Governors Baseball updates and ticket information as they happen.