By ANTHONY SHINGLER
Assistant Sports Editor

The Bat Govs battled the elements this weekend but prevailed with victories. The Govs played at home against future conference foe SIU Edwardsville in a doubleheader Sunday, April 25. The final game of the series was canceled due to heavy rain.

The Govs (21-18) opened the first game of the doubleheader with a 5-2 win. Starting senior pitcher Ricky Marshall held SIU Edwardsville to six scoreless innings and allowed only two runs in the seventh to get the complete game. Marshall allowed six hits and struck out three batters.

The Govs got on the board in the second inning when freshman outfielder Cody Hudson singled up the middle bringing home senior catcher Trey Lucas to take the early 1-0 lead. The Govs added another score on senior Matt Kole’s home run.

In the final inning the Govs would pad their 2-0 lead by adding three runs. The first run came from a Hudson bunt that scored senior outfielder Adam Browett. Senior infielder Chris Lewellyn brought home a run on a bases-loaded walk. Freshmen Reed Harper hit a sacrifice fly that scored Lucas for the last run.

In the second game, the Govs came out the gates early. They scored four runs in the second inning. Lucas singled up the middle for an RBI, Lewellyn smashed a two-run home run and senior Daniel Baggett followed suit with a solo shot.

Rather than lay down, the Cougars rallied. They scored two runs in the top of the third inning and added one run in the fourth to pull within one of the Govs lead, 4-3.

However, the Cougars rally fell short. Harper blasted a two RBI double to right center in the fourth inning.

The Cougars scored one run in both the sixth and seventh innings and lost 6-5. Senior pitcher Stephen Huff earned the win. On the mound five innings, Huff allowed three runs (earned) on four hits and struck out five cougar batters.

Beginning Saturday, May 1, the Govs will play a three-game series at home against Morehead State. It is one of four remaining conference series they have left to play this season.

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.

By MARLON SCOTT
Senior Staff Writer
The Bat Govs have been on the road since Friday, April 2. They have thrown, hit and slid their way through eight games in nine days.

The last stop on the tough road stretch was Turkey Hughes Field in Richmond, Ky., where they played a three-game series against OVC opponents the Eastern Kentucky Colonels.

Multiple errors made the Govs wish they had skipped the last stop. The Colonels swept the Govs 10-1, 8-4 and 15-12.

According to APSU Sports Information, Govs head coach Gary McClure said the team still has a lot of work to do.

“They outplayed us all weekend and now we have to go back to the drawing board,” McClure said. “This is a low point for our club. I’ve got my work cut out to get this team to respond. We’ve got to go back to work and get some things done.”

Starting senior pitcher Ricky Marshall threw a solid first game against the Colonels Saturday, April 10, but didn’t get a lot of support defensively.

The Govs tied a school record high with eight errors in the game.

After a pair of hits in the second inning, Marshall (5-4) did not allow another hit until the seventh inning. He finished the game allowing seven runs (three earned) from five hits, walked one and struck out four.

The Govs were behind 3-1 after four errors in the first six innings. However, four errors in the seventh inning led to seven runs on six hits.

Freshman infielder John Hogan went 4-for-5 at the plate with no scores. Senior catcher Trey Lucas hit the only RBI for the Govs in the game.

The Colonels proved they did not need errors to score in game two. Junior pitcher Ryne Harper watched his pitches turn into seven runs for the Colonels in the first three innings.

Harper (3-2) allowed eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits, walked two and struck out one in four innings pitched.

Colonels’ junior pitcher Paul Duncan (3-1) held the Govs at bay. Duncan almost pitched a complete game. He allowed only four runs, all earned, on eight hits, with two walks and eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work.

The Govs had a chance to rally with the bases loaded in the seventh. However, the Colonels brought in the closer Matt Harris, and he struck out the next batter, senior outfielder Daniel Baggett, swinging.

Hogan continued to hit the ball in game two. He went 1-for-3 at the plate for 2 RBIs. Fellow freshman outfielder Cody Hudson hit 2-for-2 with no score in the game as well.

After scoring only five total runs in the doubleheader Saturday, April 10, the Govs hit their way to 12 runs in their final game against Eastern Kentucky Sunday, April 11.

But a three-run homer in the eighth inning by the Colonels Michael Garcia broke a 12-12 tie and rendered the Govs offensive efforts futile.

The Govs produced 19 total hits in the game. Senior designated hitter Matt Kole led the team hitting 2-for-4 for 4 RBIs. Senior outfielder Adam Browett also went 2-for-4 at the plate with a lead off home run in the third.

At the top of the fourth inning, the Govs led the Colonels 7-1.

However, after five walks, two singles and two doubles allowed by Govs senior starter Stephen Huff and junior right hander Dylan Ray, the Colonels scored seven runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead, 8-7.

The Govs countered the seven-run inning with four more runs in the sixth, but could not keep the Colonels from keeping pace. At the bottom of the eighth, the Colonels were at bat and behind 12-10.

Colonel, Jacob Daniel tied the game with a two-run shot over the left field wall. The Govs then brought in senior Zach Gerler who has all the Govs saves this season. Gerler got in trouble that started with a double by OVC preseason Co-Player of the Year Jason Langfels and ended with the game winning home run by Garcia.

“For the first time this year, Zach just didn’t have it. His stuff has been electric all year, but it just wasn’t there today,” McClure said.

On Saturday, April 17, the Govs will play OVC opponents Jacksonville State in a three-game series. The series will be three of nine straight games at home that began against Western Kentucky and ends against Vanderbilt.

By MARLON SCOTT
Senior Staff Writer

The Govs hit the road for their second Ohio Valley Conference series this season. They went to Charleston, Ill., Friday, April 2, and quickly found themselves in the maw of the Eastern Illinois Panthers.

Errors and cold bats put the Govs down 2-0 on day one of the series. The Panthers defeated the Govs 2-1 (2-0, 4-3 and 18-6).

In the first game of the doubleheader Friday, April 2, at Coaches’ Field, the Govs (15-12, 3-3 OVC) were neutralized by Panthers’ pitcher Mike Recchia (3-2). After walking the lead-off batter, Recchia retired 10 straight Govs’ batters. He finished seven innings of pitching allowing only one hit, no runs and seven strike outs.

The Govs produced only two hits in the game.

Senior pitcher Ricky Marshall (4-3) picked up the loss. Marshall struck out one and picked up two earned runs from eight hits.

After Recchia was relieved, the Govs had a chance in the ninth to win with two runners in scoring position and two outs. Pinch hitter senior Daniel Baggett appeared to hit a line drive, three run shot over the left field fence. But the hit was ruled foul. Baggett went down swinging on the next pitch.

With runs in the second and third inning, it looked as if the Govs had recovered offensively in the second game.

But two errors in the bottom of the third inning helped the Panthers score three runs and change the momentum of the game.

After scoring on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, the Panthers led the Govs 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh.

Senior outfielder Jared Delong hit a single up the middle with two outs and the bases loaded.

The runner on third scored and the runner from second was sent home to at least tie the game and send it into extra innings. But the second runner was thrown out by a bullet from center field to end the game.

Junior pitcher Ryne Harper (3-1) was tagged for his first loss of the season. He allowed four runs (one earned) from six hits and struck out two in four innings pitching.

Panthers’ pitcher Mike Hoekstra (2-1) picked up the win. The Govs produced seven hits. Delong led the team going 2-for-4 at the plate with 2 RBI.

After generating only five runs on nine hits in the doubleheader against the Panthers, the Govs blasted 18 runs from 17 hits in the final game Saturday, April 3. Senior Adam Browett and junior Shayne Martin both earned 5 RBIs in the game.

The Govs scored runs in six straight innings starting in the third and posted seven runs in the seventh.

The Panthers went through six pitchers trying to slow down the onslaught. Brent McNeil (0-3) picked up the loss.

Govs’ senior pitcher Stephen Huff (3-3) earned the win. Sophomore infielder John Clinard tied the game in the fifth inning with a lead off homer. However, it was Browett who began the seven-run rally in the seventh when he smacked a 1-2 pitch to left center for a 2 RBI double.

Not to be outdone, Martin added his own two run double later. But Clinard added a triple to his home run to also score two runs in the inning.

Nine different batters produced hits in the game. Seven of the nine earned at least one RBI.

After the Panther series, the Govs were in fourth place in the OVC, behind SEMO, Jacksonville State and Murray State.

They will play their next OVC series on the road against Eastern Kentucky Saturday, April 10, before returning home for a home game against Western Kentucky Tuesday, April 13.