CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's baseball team extended its win streak to six games following a late comeback eighth against Tennessee Tech and a strong performance on the hill from Chance Cox, Tuesday, at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

Cox came into the midweek against the Golden Eagles with a 2-0 record this season. He threw 7.1 innings Tuesday night, a career-high for the junior southpaw. He struck out a career-high five batters and allowed four runs on six hits and two walks. He did not allow a run or give up a walk in the first seven innings of work on the hill and ended up getting the no-decision after Tennessee Tech tied the game in the eighth.

Kade Shatwell relieved Cox out of the pen and picked up the win, while Kaleb Applebey closed out the ninth to earn his fourth save of the season.

How it Happened

Bottom 1st | The Governors came out swinging to begin the game. Second baseman Kyler Proctor led the inning with a double to left field. It was his first extra-base hit since playing the Golden Eagles on the road (March 18), where he went 3-for-5 with a double and a home run. He would advance to third on a ground out from John Bay. That wouldn't matter, though, because outfielder Cameron Nickens hit his ninth home run of the season, driving them both in for the 2-0 Governors lead.

Bottom 6th | The bats would stay quiet until the sixth inning when the Govs put up another pair of runs. Gus Freeman began the inning with a four-pitch walk. Cole Johnson was the next batter, and he watched the first pitch go by for a ball. He wasn't afraid to swing after five straight balls. He swung away on the 1-0 count and hit his fourth home run of the season over the left center wall. The Govs would lead 4-0 after the two-run inning.

Top 8th | Cox would begin the eighth with a ground out from the first batter he faced but would walk the next two batters. Mack Whitcomb then singled to center, scoring Preston Steele for the first Golden Eagle run. After allowing another base hit to load the bases, Shatwell came into the game to relieve Cox. Shatwell got Ryan Lee to ground out, but a run would come across to score. Nicho Jordan would then hit a single to right field, scoring two runners on the play to tie the game. Riley Black pinch hit for Aaron Moffitt and would double down into the left field corner, scoring Jordan to take the 4-5 lead.

Bottom 8th | Nick Vaccaro began the eighth inning on the mound for Tennessee Tech. He retired Johnson on a groundout but then walked Ray Velazquez. Paris Pridgen pinch-ran for the third baseman. Vaccaro got another quick out, getting DJ Merriweather to fly out, but then walked Andres Matias. Keaton Cottam was the next batter, and he put a ball in play down the third base line. Steele corralled the ball and made a low throw to first base. Black who took over at first, could not hold onto the ball on the pick attempt. This allowed Pridgen to score from second base, tying the game 5-5. On the next pitch, Proctor hit a line drive to shallow center to score Matias from second base to take the 6-5 lead. That was all the Govs needed for Applebey to come in and close out the ninth and seal the win.

Wrap Up

Shatwell picked up the win to improve to 1-1 on the season. He threw two-thirds of an inning and allowed one run on two hits.

Vaccaro was given the loss after two-thirds of an inning, allowing two runs to score on a hit and a pair of walks.

Applebey picked up the save for his fourth on the season. He threw one inning and struck out two batters.

Notables

Johnson: 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R – Has now recorded two games with three hits, and this was his fifth multi-RBI performance of the season.

Proctor: 3-for-5, 2B, RBI, R – Was his 12th multi-hit performance of the season, which leads the Govs' lineup.

Nickens: 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R – Tied for the lead in home runs in the ASUN with nine on the season.

Up Next

The Governors head to Louisville, Kentucky, to face Bellarmine in a three-game ASUN series starting at 1 p.m. (CT), Friday, at Knights Field. 

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