Austin Peay State University Athletics

Awards & Honors

ABCA All-Southeast Region: 2024
NCBWA Third Team All-America: 2025
First Team All-ASUN: 2025
Second Team All-ASUN: 2024
Academic All-Big 12 Baseball Team: 2022
2025 ASUN Player of the Week: March 24
Academic All-ASUN: 2025
APSU Athletic Director's Honor Roll: F22, F23, F24, S25
APSU Dean’s List: S24

2025 | Austin Peay

• Started all 59 games in center field for the Govs, finishing the season with a .360 batting average (5th in ASUN).
• Led the league with 22 home runs, which ranked seventh in the nation.
• At the conclusion of the season, he led the nation with 94 runs scored.
• Led the league with a .769 slugging percentage, the fourth-highest of any Governor in a single season in program history.
• His .507 on-base percentage helped him to a 1.276 OPS, ranking second in the league.
• Drove in 66 runs on 81 hits, including 16 doubles and an ASUN-leading five triples.
• Swiped 12 bases in 16 attempts.
• Finished the season with 26 multi-hit games, 16 multi-RBI games, and a reached base safely streak of 21 games.
• Collected his first career five-hit game at North Alabama (April 13), going 5-for-6 with a pair of home runs while tallying four RBI and scoring a career-best four runs.
• Tallied a season-best six RBI against Middle Tennessee State (April 9), going 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three runs.
• Batted .357 (5-for-14) in the ASUN Championship and went 3-for-4 against Jacksonville (May 22) in the second round.
• Had five straight games where he went 2-for-4 against Central Arkansas and at Lipscomb (May 10-17), batting .500 (10-for-20) with four doubles, four home runs, tallying eight RBI in the span.

2024 | Austin Peay

• Started all 55 games he played in this season, having a remarkable year at the plate for the Govs.
• Posted a .365 batting average where he blasted 24 home runs and collected 72 RBI, which ranked second in the ASUN in both categories.
• Was an on-base machine finding his way on with 34 walks, 10 hit-by-pitch, and tallying 76 hits, 20 of which were doubles, earning himself a 1.288 OPS where he ranked second in the ASUN, just behind teammate Miller-Green.
• Swiped 11 bags in 14 stolen base attempts.
• Had his first collegiate career 4-hit game against Western Illinois (February 18) in Game 2 of the series, hitting his first pair of homers on the season, while also collecting two doubles and five RBI in the 18-9 win.
• Had a field day at home against Alabama A&M (April 30), going 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a pair of home runs in back-to-back innings, one of which was a grand slam, contributing to his nine RBI day in the 35-1 midweek win.
• Opened the season going on a 10-game hit streak (February 16-March 1), going 19-for-41 for a blistering .463 average, hitting five home runs, seven doubles, tallying 15 RBI.

2023 | Austin Peay 

• Played in 26 games, starting 24, and batted .225 with eight home runs and 22 RBI.
• Govs’ Opening Day starter in left field but suffered an injury and did not return until April.
• Returned to the starting lineup against Queens (April 14) and notched his first hit as a Governor in the series finale (April 16).
• Hit a go-ahead grand slam – the Govs' fifth grand slam – at Jacksonville (April 22) for his first home run as a Governor.
• Has hit home runs in back-to-back games in both the Lipscomb series (May 12-13) and at North Alabama (May 19-20).
• Over the final nine games, batted .303 (10-for-33) with six home runs and 15 RBI.
• Led Govs with six RBI during the ASUN Baseball Championship (May 24-26).
• Closed the season with a 2-for-4, two home run, five RBI performance against Jacksonville State (May 26).

2022 | Oklahoma State

• Played in 26 and made nine starts, finishing season batting .324 with a home run and four RBI.
• Notched first collegiate hit in his first collegiate appearance, going 1-for-2 with a RBI and two runs scored against Wright State (Feb. 27).
• Made his first collegiate start against Missouri State (March 8) and went 1-for-3 with a solo home run.
• Posted back-to-back two-hit outings ins tarts at Wichita State (April 26) and at Texas (April 29). Also had a double and two RBI against the Shockers.
• Starting right fielder in Big 12 Tournament game against Texas (May 25) and had one of the Cowboys three hits.
• Came off the bench as a pinch runner and played right field in Cowboys’ NCAA Stillwater Regional 29-15 victory against Missouri State (June 5), scoring a run.

2021 | Oklahoma State

• Did not play in first season at Stillwater.

Prep Career

• Played third base for head coach Travis Oakley at Shattuck High School.
• Named an All-State Small West selection to the Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association 2020 All-State Game.
• Was ranked the No. 1 third baseman in Oklahoma and No. 55 in the country by Perfect Game.
• Also was a member of the football and basketball teams.
• As quarterback and defensive end, helped lead Shattuck to three-straight Oklahoma Class B state football titles.
• In 2019 state championship, Bay scored three touchdowns, was 5-of-13 passing for 35 yards, led the Indians in rushing with 124 yards on 27 carries, kicked a 30-yard field goal and connected on a PAT.

Personal 

• John Bay is the son of Mark and Kerie Bay.
• Birthday is May 16.
• Has three siblings: Jake, Jena, and Josh.
• His father, Mark, played football at Southwestern Oklahoma State.
• His brother, Jake, is a member of the Abilene Christian men’s golf team.
• His sister, Jena, plays basketball at Southern Nazarene University.