By MARLON SCOTT
Senior Staff Writer

Van Stokes, the voice of APSU baseball on WVRY 105.1 FM, called Saturday, April 17, “Sweep Saturday” because every Ohio Valley Conference baseball team who hosted a doubleheader that day swept their opponents 2-0 — every team except the Govs.

On Saturday, April 17, the Govs hosted the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. They split the doubleheader and dropped the last game Sunday, April 18, to lose the three-game conference series (5-6, 4-2 and 1-3). The Govs have lost three straight conference series and are now only one game above .500.

The Govs (18-17, 4-7 OVC) had Gamecock starting pitcher Jordan Beistline rechecking his stuff after they opened with three back-to-back hits. Senior designated hitter Matt Kole made the third hit. He cranked a shot into right centerfield for a 2 RBI triple. The Govs finished their first at bat with a four-run lead from six hits.

Govs senior pitcher Ricky Marshall helped the Govs maintain the lead until the seventh inning. After hitting the Gamecocks first batter with a pitch and walking the second batter, senior pitcher Zach Gerler replaced Marshall. The Gamecocks jumped on the pitching change.

The first batter Gerler faced hit an RBI single and the next scored on a walk. Gerler stayed in trouble, eventually loading the bases with only one out. After another RBI single hit by Gamecock Dani Anderson, Gerler was replaced on the mound by junior pitcher Dylan Ray.

The Gamecocks finished the inning with the lead, scoring five runs on two hits. Todd Hornsby earned the save allowing no runs and only two hits in the last two innings. Tanner Freshour (5-1) picked up the win. The Govs produced 13 hits in the game, but not enough runs late to get the win. Gerler (2-3) was tagged with the loss. An error by the Govs in game two gave the Gamecocks the first run of the game in the second inning. However, it was the Govs’ turn to come from behind. They took the lead with three runs in the third inning.

Kole earned his third RBI for the day with a single into left field with two men on base. Later senior outfielder Adam Browett brought in Kole and another runner with a shot into right field.

Starting pitcher Ryne Harper held the Gamecocks back until the beginning of the fifth inning. After he allowed one run to make the score 3-2, he was replaced by freshman pitcher Matt Marsh. Marsh closed the inning without any more runs.

Errors by the Gamecocks in the sixth inning helped the Govs pad the lead to 4-2. Solid pitching, first by sophomore left hander Jeremy Dobbs and then by Gerler, sealed the win for the Govs.

Harper (4-2) earned the win allowing only two runs (one earned) on five hits in 4.2 innings of work. Gerler earned his sixth save of the season, while Kole finished the day batting 5-for-8 with 3 RBIs.

Game three was a pitching duel, as both teams combined for only 11 total hits. However, it was the hits on the Gamecocks side that produced runs, and consequently the Govs lost the game 3-1.

The Govs’ lone run came in the fourth inning. Senior outfielder Jared Delong hit a lead off single, then advanced to third base on a fielding error. Kole continued to produce and earned his fourth RBI in the series with a single down the left field line that brought Delong home. Kole batted 3-for-4 in the game with one RBI.

Gamecock pitcher Austin Lucas (2-0) allowed the only run (unearned) from five hits with one walk and five strikeouts. He picked up the win after throwing for 6.2 innings. Govs’ senior left-hander Stephen Huff (3-4) added the loss to his stats. He picked up two earned runs from three hits, walked four and struck out four. The Gamecocks scored in the third, sixth and ninth innings.

The Govs will continue to play at home this weekend with a three-game series against SIU Edwardsville beginning Saturday, April 24, and a single game against Vanderbilt University on Tuesday, April 27.

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