ST. GEORGE, Utah – Austin Peay State University's baseball team fell to Utah Tech in a 15-11 slugfest to open its series, Thursday, at Bruce Hurst Field in St. George, Utah.

How it Happened

Bottom 1st | After getting the leadoff batter to fly out, Chance Cox then walked Kace Naone on four pitches before he swiped second base to move into scoring position. Ryan Kroepel singled to shallow right-center to score Naone. Kroepel advanced to second himself, this time on a wild pitch, before coming in to score on an RBI single to left from Finnegan Stewart for an early Utah Tech 2-0 lead.

Top 2nd | Junior utility Ty Wisdom led the second inning with a solo home run to cut the lead in half. It was his first homer of the season and first as a Governor after transferring from Kansas.

Top 4th | The Governors tacked on four runs in the top of the frame after creating chaos on the bases. With an out in the inning and bases loaded for Trevor Conley, he laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Derrick Mitchell from third. But an errant throw from the new Trailblazer pitcher, Brock Roundy, allowed Paris Pridgen to score all the way from second. Cole Johnson then scored on a passed ball before Zion Taylor put down a bunt on a suicide squeeze play to score Conley and put the Govs up 5-2.

Bottom 4th | After getting a pair of outs and walking the bases loaded, Ryker Walton entered the game for Cox before giving up an RBI single to Petey Soto Jr. Then, with bases loaded again for Kyle McDaniel, he hit a grand slam to put the Trailblazers up 7-5.

Top 5th | For the second time in the game, and second time leading off an inning, Wisdom launched his second home run of the contest to bring the Govs back within a run, as they trailed 7-6. Wisdom is the first Governor to homer twice in the same game since John Bay at Lipscomb on May 17, 2025.

Bottom 5th | With Drew DeLucia on the mound after entering in relief in the fourth inning, he retired a batter and hit two before being relieved by Bryce McCain, who then walked Soto Jr. before getting the second out of the inning on a fielder's choice back to him on the mound. Then, Naone hit the Trailblazers' second grand slam to put them ahead 11-6.

Top 6th | With an out to begin the top of the sixth, Kyler Proctor doubled to right field before coming around to score on Zion Taylor's home run to right field, for his first as a Governor and first of the season.

Bottom 6th | Colin Carney began the inning on the mound for the Govs and allowed back-to-back hits to bring in a run for the Trailblazers. Stewart was the second to get a hit with a double to left center, which scored Gavin Glasgow on an error getting the ball back to the infield. Then, after a sacrifice bunt to move Stewart to third, he came in to score on a sacrifice fly to center from Hudson Manwaring, putting Utah Tech up 13-8.

Top 7th | After getting the first batter to ground out, three Governors reached base from a base hit and a pair of walks to load the bases. Conley then delivered with an RBI single to left to score Mitchell. Following some defensive changes and a pitching change, Proctor flew out to deep right field to score Pridgen on the sacrifice fly. Then Taylor came through with an RBI single through the right side to score Johnson and bring the Govs within two runs of the Trailblazers.

Bottom 7th | Following a leadoff single from Soto Jr., Gavin Alveti relieved Carney and induced a double play ball to get two outs. Naone then singled before Kroepel homered to dead center, putting Utah Tech up 15-11.

Wrap Up

Talan Kelly picked up the win to improve to 2-0 on the year after throwing 2.1 innings and allowing four earned runs to score on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out three.

Kroepel picked up his sixth save of the season after throwing the game's final 2.2 innings and not allowing a run to score, and striking out three batters.

Ryker Walton was given the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season after allowing a pair of runs to score on two hits and a walk and not recording an out.

Up Next

The Governors take on the Trailblazers in doubleheader action starting at 2:05 p.m. (CT), Friday, at Bruce Hurst Field in St. George, Utah.

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