CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University Baseball is set for a three-game series at Big-12 opponent Cincinnati starting Friday, Feb. 27, at 2 p.m. (CT) at UC Baseball Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
LEADING OFF
Cincinnati is the only Big-12 opponent Austin Peay faces this season. The series will feature games six through eight on the 33-game road schedule this season.
Entering the series at 6-3 are the Cincinnati Bearcats. The team is led by head coach Jordan Bischel, in his 12th career season, his third at Cincinnati. The Bearcats were picked in the preseason to finish eighth in the Big-12, after receiving their first NCAA at-large berth since the 1974 season.
The Governors come to Cincinnati with a 2-3 record away from The Hand this season, after falling to No. 4 nationally ranked Mississippi State on Tuesday in Starkville, Mississippi.
Austin Peay is 4-4 through the first two weeks of its 2026 campaign. The Governors came away with a 2-1 series victory over Eastern Michigan last weekend. Graduate Trevor Conley, who has shared time behind the plate and at first base, has been an offensive spark at the bottom of the lineup for the Governors. The graduate from Mt. Carmel, Ohio, finished the series going 6-for-12, with a career day at the plate in game two, collecting a career-high five RBI and delivering a walk-off RBI single to center in the 11th inning.
The same starting rotation is projected to start in the third weekend series of the season, beginning with junior right-hander Cody Airington. He has been the Friday starter through the first two weeks of the season, and comes into the series with a 0-1 record and a 9.82 ERA through limited work after returning from a partial Tommy John in the middle of Atlantic Sun Conference play in 2025.
Redshirt junior Kaleb Applebey is the Game 2 projected starter on Saturday. The 6'7" righty comes into the weekend without a record of decision through two starts. So far this season, he has struck out 12 batters across 8.1 innings of work and made his longest start of 4.1 innings against Eastern Michigan a week ago.
Senior Kade Shatwell returns to the mound in Game 3 after picking up wins in both starts this season. He has a 2-0 record and a 0.00 ERA through 10.2 innings of work, while striking out 13 batters and walking just four. He threw 5.2 innings against Eastern Michigan last week and did not allow a hit in the contest.
SERIES HISTORY
The Governors and the Bearcats have met seven times in the all-time series, with all but two of the meetings being at home in Clarksville, Tennessee. Austin Peay leads the all-time series 5-2. This will be the first road trip that the Governors have taken to Cincinnati.
The series dates to 1979, when the Governors and the Bearcats each won a game against the other at the Gulf Coast Tournament in Panama City, Florida. Austin Peay lost to Marietta to open the tournament and then won six-straight before losing to Cincinnati to end the tournament.
The last time Austin Peay beat Cincinnati was at home on Feb. 18, 2007, when Austin Peay won 4-3. The following day, Cincinnati won 9-7, which was the last time the two teams met.
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.
The series will be streamed on ESPN+.
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 and Instagram for all Governors Baseball updates and ticket information as they happen.
