CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's baseball team is set to face Bellarmine in a three-game weekend series to open Atlantic Sun Conference play starting Friday, March 13, at 1 p.m. (CT) at Knights Field in Louisville, Kentucky.
LEADING OFF
Bellarmine is the Governors' first ASUN opponent that Austin Peay faces this season, with Lipscomb to follow next weekend in Austin Peay's second weekend at home this season before going on a nine-game road stretch.
Entering the first week of conference games at 4-11 are the Bellarmine Knights. The team is led by head coach Ben Reel, who is in his second season with the Knights, and 17th overall. The Knights were picked to finish sixth in the ASUN Gold Division preseason coaches poll, behind Eastern Kentucky, Central Arkansas, North Alabama, and then Lipscomb, who is projected to finish behind Austin Peay, the conference favorite.
The Governors were below .500 heading into their midweek doubleheader against Ohio at home. But, with two wins on Tuesday, Austin Peay is now 9-8 heading into the first week of ASUN games.
The Governors split their four-game weekend series with Utah Tech last weekend, both coming in Friday's doubleheader. Junior Ty Wisdom hit three home runs in the series, with a pair coming in game two of the series. He slugged .944 and tallied five RBI, while also picking up a pair of outfield assists in right field.
Then on Tuesday against Ohio, Austin Peay outscored the Bobcats 33-11 over both games. In game one of the doubleheader, the Govs blasted five home runs, with graduate Andres Matias hitting a pair in back-to-back at-bats. In game two, the Govs hit two home runs, with senior Zion Taylor hitting one of them. He also hit another in the first game. With the seven home runs over the two games, Austin Peay nearly doubled its home run total on the year, and is now at 17 this season.
PITCHING PROBABLES
Junior Cody Airington is slated as the Friday starter to open the series. He comes into the weekend with a 0-1 record and a 6.75 ERA through 10.2 innings in four starts.
Redshirt junior Kaleb Applebey will be the game two starter following his outing at Utah Tech (March 6), where he got the no-decision as he went 3.2 innings and allowed three runs to score in the contest. He enters the weekend with a 2.84 ERA across 19 innings in four starts. He has only allowed an ASUN-leading 10 hits to opponents, and has an opposing batting average of .147, which also leads the league.
Senior Kade Shatwell rounds out the rotation, as he comes into the series with a 2-1 record and a 1.82 ERA across 24.2 innings in four starts. His only loss this season was his eight-inning complete game at Cincinnati, where he struck out a career single-game high seven batters, and allowed three runs to score on one swing. He was recently named to the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List by the College Baseball Foundation on Wednesday.
SERIES HISTORY
The Governors lead the Knights in the all-time series, 14-3. Austin Peay rides an eight-game winning streak against Bellarmine, which dates back to Bellarmine's last win on April 5, 2024, where the Knights beat the Governors 9-6. The last time these two teams met was in Clarksville on May 4 last season, where the Governors run-ruled the Knights in both games of a Sunday doubleheader. Alumnus Jacob Weaver tossed a seven-inning complete game in the 14-3 win, with redshirt sophomore Cole Johnson going 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run and a double, while tallying four RBI.
The all-time series dates back to 1976, when Austin Peay defeated Bellarmine in Clarksville, 4-3. The two teams would not face each other again until 2021, when Austin Peay won the game 9-1 in Louisville on March 23.
The Governors have swept the Knights in three weekend series, with two coming in 2025.
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+, with no broadcast on Saturday.
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.
