LAS VEGAS  – Austin Peay State University redshirt junior outfielder Paris Pridgen set career-highs in hits and runs batted in in a roller-coaster series finish as the Governors took the series finale from UNLV, Sunday, at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

How it Happened

Top 1st | With one out in the inning, Ray Velazquez hit a backside line drive against the shifted infield to become the first baserunner of the game. A Ty Wisdom four-pitch walk allowed Velazquez to move into scoring position. But a throwing error on a pickoff attempt from Felix Ong moved Velazquez another 90 feet closer to scoring. Cole Johnson then drew a walk after falling behind in the count, which brought Andres Matias to the plate. He would hit a ground ball to the Rebels' shortstop and reach on a fielder's choice, bringing Velazquez across for a 1-0 lead.

Top 3rd | The top of the third started the way it did in the first, with a one-out single through the left side of the infield by Velazquez. Then, with two outs gone in the inning, Johnson ripped an RBI triple down the line in the right field corner to extend the lead to 2-0.

Bottom 3rd | The first two Rebel batters in the bottom half of the frame reached by a hit-by-pitch and base on balls. Jack Salmon then grounded out to Trevor Conley at first base to advance the runners for the next batter, Marcos Rosales. He singled to shallow left field and brought Connor Tallakson in to score UNLV's first run of the game. Then Drew Barragan singled through the left side of the infield to bring in a pair of runners and give the Rebels a 3-2 lead.

Top 4th | Zion Taylor began the fourth with a double to left field before scoring on a Paris Pridgen double to the right-center alley, evening the score at three. Pridgen would advance to third on a fielder's choice before stealing home on a double steal, giving the Govs a 4-3 lead.

Top 5th | With an out already recorded in the inning, Johnson, Matias, and Taylor all reached base on balls before UNLV made a pitching change. The Rebels put in LJ Manning in relief of Ong, and retired Keaton Cottam on strikes for the second out of the inning. Then Pridgen came up to the plate and delivered a two-out two-RBI single up the middle, scoring Johnson and Matias to extend the Govs' lead to 6-3.

Bottom 5th | A leadoff single and a hit batter is how the bottom half of the fifth began before Cox retired Salmon on strikes for his sixth strikeout of the game – matching his career-high he set at Purdue on April 22, 2025. Drew DeLucia entered the game in relief and retired the first batter on a groundout to third before giving up a two-RBI single up the middle to Nin Burns II, cutting the Govs' lead to one run, 6-5.

Top 6th | Kyler Proctor opened the sixth with a leadoff triple for his first extra-base hit of the season. Three batters later, with Johnson at the Plate, he scored on a groundout to short, extending the lead to two runs. The Rebels made another pitching change following a walk by Manning to load the bases. Cottam was hit by the first pitch of his at-bat, bringing in Wisdom across the plate. Pridgen then hit a dribbler down the third base line for an RBI infield single. Conley and Proctor were the next pair of batters, and they each brought in a run on a bases-loaded walk and a hit-by-pitch, respectively, giving the Govs an 11-5 lead.

Bottom 7th | Barragan singled to left field to begin the bottom half of the frame before DeLucia retired the next batter on a flyout to center. Kade Foulke was then brought into the game to face the UNLV batter in a lefty-on-lefty matchup. Jonny Rodriguez would triple in the right-center alley to bring in Barragan. Bryce McCain would then replace Foulke on the mound and allow an RBI single from Cooper Sheff through the right side of the infield, scoring Rodriguez. Three batters later, with runners on second and third, Jayden Sanchez singled to right to score Sheff, but Wisdom threw out Jayden at the plate to end the inning, keeping the Govs' 11-8 lead.

Bottom 8th | Colin Carney began the eighth in relief of McCain on the mound. He allowed a single and a double to start the bottom half of the inning, before Barragan singled up the middle to bring in Salmon. Barragan advanced to second on the throw in from the outfield. Jackson Hohensee would then come into the game to relieve Carney. He got Burns II to ground out to Proctor at second, but Rosales came in to score and cut the Govs' lead to one run. Two batters later, Sheff singled to left field to drive in the tying run, Barragan.

Top 9th | Wisdom led the inning with a walk to begin the inning. He was replaced on the bases with DJ Merriweather, who would come in to score on a single up the middle from Andres Matias just two batters later. The Govs retook the lead, 12-11.

Bottom 9th | Jett Hope began the ninth on the mound for the Govs and struck out the leadoff batter before allowing a solo home run to Rosales to tie the game at 12.

Top 10th | Pridgen struck out to begin the inning, but reached first safely on a dropped third strike. He was sacrificed over by Conley before coming in to score on an RBI single by Proctor. The score would hold for Jett Hope to close out the game in the bottom half of the 10th.

Wrap Up

Hope was credited with his first-career win after throwing the game's final two innings in relief. He improves to 1-0 on the season after striking out a pair of batters and allowing just one run to score on one hit.

Jacob Gomberg was given the loss and fell to 0-1 on the season after allowing two runs, one earned, to score on two hits and a walk in two innings of relief.

Notables

• Pridgen: 3-for-5, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB, 2 SB
  • Pridgen collected his first-career extra-base hit and set career highs in hits and RBI in a single game.
• Proctor drove in the game-winning run with his RBI single in the top of the 10th inning.
• Cox struck out six batters, matching his career high in a single game.

Up Next

The Governors return home for their home-opener against Eastern Michigan – their first of the three-game series, starting at 2 p.m., Friday, at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

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