FLORENCE, Ala. – Austin Peay State University's baseball team fell to the Lions of North Alabama in its Atlantic Sun Conference series finale after a late rally in the seventh, Sunday, at Northwestern Shoals Community College's Patriot Park.

How it Happened

Top 1st | The Govs got off to an early start at the plate just like they did in Game 2 of the series. After two quick outs at the top of the order, Cameron Nickens ripped a double to left center for the game's first hit. Then Gus Freeman stepped up and was hit by a pitch after falling behind two strikes in the count. Nickens would score after the Cole Johnson single to left field, giving Austin Peay the 1-0 lead.

Bottom 1st | The Governors lead would not last long as the Lions scored two in the bottom half of the frame. Alex Wilson led off the inning with a ground-rule double before advancing to third on a flyout by the next batter. Then the Lions catcher, Matthew Delgado, hit a two-run home run over the left center field fence to give the Lions the 1-2 lead.

Top 2nd | Austin Peay did not let that bother them in the top half of the second as they put up an eight-spot to lead by six. Ray Velazquez began the inning with a double to center field, and Trevor Conley got a hit on a bunt to the second baseman. With two runners on and Kyler Proctor at the plate, he hit his second home run of the day to bring in the first three runs of the inning. Back-to-back baserunners followed as John Bay walked and Nickens singled to right. Freeman was the next batter, and he singled to left field, allowing Bay to score. Johnson then reached on balls just before Brody Szako hit his second career grand slam to put the Govs up 9-2.

Bottom 2nd | The Lions began the second inning with an infield hit from Bryant Loving. He would come around to score on a double down the left field line off the bat of Leighton Jenkins. Chance Cox, the starting pitcher for the Govs, retired the next batter he faced, but then allowed an RBI single up the middle from Delgado before being relieved on the mound by Solomon Washington.

Bottom 3rd | Washington gave up a base hit to the leadoff batter for the Lions before striking out the next two batters looking. UNA pieced together some good at-bats and eventually scored three runs on a rally after being hit by a pitch and drove in two runs on a single up the middle.

Top 5th | Proctor made some noise with an out in the inning, hitting his first career triple. Bay was the next batter, and he hit his third homer of the day to bring in another two runs for the Govs to make it 11-7.

Bottom 7th | DJ Merriweather, who came into the game in the fourth inning on the mound for the Govs, ran into some trouble in the bottom of the seventh. He loaded the bases on a single and two walks before being relieved by Kade Shatwell. Delgado was the first batter he saw, and he would single to left field to drive in the first run of the inning. The next two batters would reach base on a walk and hit by pitch. A run came in to score in each of those plate appearances. With the Lions down by one, Ryan West delivered a three-run double to put North Alabama up by two. The Lions would cap off the inning with an RBI single to right field off the bat of Jenkins, making the score 11-14.

Top 8th | The Govs would not go down without a fight as they scratched one run in the top of the eighth on a solo home run from Velazquez.

Bottom 8th | The first three Lion batters would reach base safely to load the bases without an out in the inning. Jonathan Lane drove in a run on a sacrifice fly out to right field, and West would bring in the game's final run on a sacrifice fly to center field, extending the lead to 12-16.

Wrap Up

Luke Davenport picked up his third win of the season after throwing the game's final 1.1 innings. He improved to 3-0 on the season while collecting a strikeout on the day.

Shatwell was given the loss to fall to 1-2 on the season. He threw one inning and collected a strikeout, allowing four runs to score on three hits, a walk, and a hit batter.

Up Next

The Governors return home to face Morehead State in midweek action starting at 6 p.m. (CT), Tuesday, at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

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