STARKVILLE, Miss. – Austin Peay State University's baseball team fell to No. 4 nationally ranked Mississippi State in midweek action, Tuesday, at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Mississippi.

How it Happened

Top 1st | Batting as the leadoff hitter for just the second time this season, Ray Velazquez drew a six-pitch walk to begin the game. He advanced to second base on a passed ball before moving to third on a groundout to second from Kyler Proctor. Then, with an even 1-1 count, Ty Wisdom hit a deep fly ball to left field, allowing Velazquez to score on a sacrifice fly for an early one-run lead.

Bottom 2nd | The Governors' starter on the hill, Chance Cox, got into some trouble in the bottom of the second, allowing a pair of runs to cross for the Bulldogs. MSU led off the inning with a double and a single from Blake Bevis and Chone James, respectively. After recording his third strikeout of the game, Cox hit Aidan Teel with a pitch to load the bases for Bryce Chance, who hit a two-RBI single to left field to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.

Bottom 3rd | After punching out the leadoff hitter for the Bulldogs, MSU rallied and got three baserunners beginning with a single to right from Vytas Valincius. He was followed with a four-pitch walk from Bevis and another single to right from James. Ryder Woodson then brought across a run on a single to center before Teel hit a grand slam to right field to extend the MSU lead to 7-1.

Bottom 4th | Aaron Lewis began the inning in relief of Cox and retired the first batter he faced before allowing a pair of batters to reach base on a single and a hit batter. Reed Stallman came in to pinch-hit for Bevis and delivered a two-RBI double in the right-center alley to put MSU up 9-1.

Bottom 5th | Bryce McCain began the fifth in relief of Lewis, who had thrown the entire fourth inning. He got Teel to pop up on the infield before giving up a double down the third base line to Chance. McCain would get the next batter to fly out before being relieved by Kade Foulke. Ace Reese was the first batter he faced, and he allowed an RBI single before walking the next batter. Brody Lanham then came into the game for Foulke and gave up a three-run home run to James Nunnallee to put the Bulldogs up 13-1.

Bottom 6th | Colin Carney began the sixth on the mound for APSU and retired the first two batters in the inning. Then, a throwing error from Velazquez and an infield single allowed Reese to come up and hit a three-run home run to put MSU up 16-1.

Top 7th | Derrick Mitchell and Houston Hebert both pinch-hit to begin the inning and were retired on strikes before Mason Pangborn stepped up and drew a two-out walk. Trevor Conley then reached on an infield single before Mason Pickering walked on four-straight pitches. With bases loaded and two strikes in the count, TJ Costello delivered with a two-RBI single to shallow center, scoring the final two runs for the Governors and making the score 16-3.

Wrap Up

Chris Billingsley Jr. picked up the win after throwing 1.1 innings of relief work and striking out a batter to improve to 1-0 on the season.

Cox was given the loss and fell to 0-1 on the season after allowing seven runs to score on nine hits, a walk, and a hit batter, while striking four batters in three innings of work.

Up Next

The Governors head to the Buckeye State to face Cincinnati in a three-game weekend series, starting at 3 p.m. (CT), Friday, at UC Baseball Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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