The All State

By ANTHONY SHINGLER | Senior Staff Writer

The Govs baseball team went on the road to face the Arkansas State Red Wolves. They dropped the first two games of the series, 6-1 on Friday, March 11, and 11-2 on

Saturday, March 12.

Afterwards, they picked up the series finale 9-2 on Sunday, March 13, to improve to 8-6 on the season.

Game 1 Govs lose 11-2

APSU 000 100 010 – 2

Ark. St 200 020 43X – 11

In the first game, the Govs (8-6) struggled to generate any offense. They left eight on the bases and produced only two runs on four hits.

Meanwhile, Arkansas State (8-9) pounded Govs sophomore lefty starter Zach Toney for four runs on five hits en route to a season high 11 runs on 12 hits.

Toney (1-1) was tagged with his first loss of the season. He pitched 4.2 innings, walked four, struck out five and allowed five hits with four earned runs.

The Govs got on the board in the fourth. Freshman right fielder Rolando Gautier singled to bring home sophomore left fielder Cody Hudson for the first Govs run.

Gautier finished 1-for-4 with an RBI.

The Govs scored their last run in the eighth inning when sophomore first baseman John Hogan flied out and brought home junior second baseman Jon Clinard.

Game 2 Govs lose 6-1

APSU 000 001 000 – 1

Ark. St 000 000 24X – 6

In the second game, the Govs pitched six scoreless innings and took a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning when freshman second baseman Jordan Hankins doubled down the

left field line allowing sophomore shortstop Reed Harper to score. The lead did not last long. The Red Wolves’ offense came alive in the seventh inning.

They scored two runs in the seventh and four in the eighth for the win. The Govs were held to their single, sixth-inning run.

Govs senior pitcher Jack Snodgrass (0-1) pitched seven innings and picked up the loss. He allowed two earned runs on five hits, struck out three and walked three.

Harper led the way offensively with a 2-for-4 effort from the plate. Gautier was one of four other Govs with one hit in the game.

Game 3 Govs win 9-2

APSU 000 400 500 – 9

Ark. St 100 100 000 – 2

The Govs’ bats finally warmed up in the series finale. A single up the middle in the fourth inning by Harper ignited the Govs’ rally.

Harper came home on an error that tied the game 1-1. Freshman catcher P.J. Torres singled through the left side bringing home junior third baseman Greg Bachman

and Hudson. Gautier also scored to put the Govs up 4-1.

The Govs put the game away in the seventh inning. They scored five runs for the 9-2 win.

The Govs were led by Gautier’s 3-of-5 efforts from the plate. He scored two runs and had one RBI. The hits extended his hit streak to 13 straight games.

Bachman went 2-of-4 from the plate, scored two runs with two RBIs.

Junior pitcher Jeremy Dobbs (3-0) picked up the win. He pitched seven innings, allowed two runs on five hits, walked four and struck out six. TAS

Staff Reports

Pinch-hitter Haskell Fink’s walk-off sacrifice fly kept APSU’s baseball team unbeaten while completing a 5-4 come-from-behind victory against Illinois State, Saturday, in the opening game of the Riverview Inn Classic at Raymond C. Hand Park.

The Govs had seven hits and were able to overcome a costly error by shortstop Reed Harper for the win. The Bat Govs were able to overcome a poor performance by Redshirt sophmore Zach Toney for the win.

Toney faced 13 batters in the first two innings and allowed the Redbirds to post two runs, jumping ahead early.

Senior pitcher Mark Allen Bonds was able to pick up his first collegiate win by tossing two scoreless innings.

Freshman second baseman Jordan Hankins led the Govs with three hits and three RBI’s. He also hit a home run in the third inning, his third of the year.

The Bat Govs are back in action Tuesday, March 1, in a two game series against Ole Miss. TAS

By MARLON SCOTT | Senior Staff Writer

The Govs welcomed the Valparaiso Crusaders to open their season at Raymond C. Hand field. The three-game series began on Friday, Feb. 18, featured several weather elements from delaying rain to high, ball-stealing winds.

However, when the sky cleared and bright sunshine warmed the field Sunday, Feb. 20, highlighted the grins of a Govs team who just finished sweeping the Crusaders in their first home series of the season, 3-0 (7-3, 11-10, 7-3). It took everything in the Govs’ arsenal to send the Crusaders back to Indiana winless. Govs’ fans got a full dose of solid pitching, strong defense and clutch hitting from their team over three days.

After three scoreless innings, the Govs’ offense came alive with 14 hits to overcome a two run deficit and win the first game 7-3. Freshman infielder Jordan Hankins led the team with four hits (2 RBIs) on his birthday. He was one of the eight different Govs who produced hits.

Sophomore first baseman John Hogan got things going with a big shot over the fence in the fourth inning. It was the first home run hit in a Govs season opener since 2005. “I thought our guys played hard. When we got down, we didn’t stress and continued to play hard,” said Govs head coach Gary McClure.

“Hogan got us started with that towering home run. That lifted our club up offensively and we started to see the ball better. I thought we did a great job at the plate.”

Senior pitcher Ryne Harper held the crusaders at bay while his offense rallied. In five innings of work, Harper struck out six and allowed only three runs from seven hits. Junior lefty reliever Jeremy Dobbs took over after Harper and picked up the win with 3.2 scoreless innings.

The second game went into extra innings. It came down to pitching depth and the Crusaders found out they had a shallow pool in their bullpen.

In the last three innings the Crusaders used four pitchers who walked nine and gave up seven runs on three hits. The result was a Govs 11-10 victory.

Govs sophomore outfielder Cody Hudson hit the game winning RBI. Freshman outfielder Rolando Gautier cranked out five hits including two doubles. “I was proud of how patient we were in the eighth. I told the guys we just have to peck away there. We didn’t have to get it all back at once,” McClure said. Junior pitcher Mike Hebert earned the victory. He allowed only one run in the last two innings. Senior lefty Jack Snodgrass got the start. He allowed one run from two hits in the first four innings.

“Jack was outstanding. He was on a pitch count because we’re going to take care of these guys early. It’s a long season,” McClure said. “He was dominating their hitters and I believe he would have for a couple more innings.”

An ugly first inning in the third game gave the Crusaders hope of going home with at least one game in the series. Govs freshman starting lefty Alex Belew watched the first three batters he faced get on base. The solid pitching sealed the Govs 7-3 win.

They eventually scored as eight batters got to the plate before the inning ended. However, those were the only three runs the Crusaders scored the rest of the game. Belew allowed only two base runners in the next four innings. After sophomore pitcher Zach Toney took over and retired the next 12 batters, not allowing any base runners.

“Alex and Zach really did a great job,” McClure said. “If you throw the way they threw and you play defense the way we did, you are going to win ball games, and that is what we did today.”

Belew picked up the win and Toney earned the first save of the season. While Belew and Toney shut down the Crusaders, the Govs were making sure Valparaiso’s Tyler Deetjen had a long day on the mound.

Eight of the nine Govs starters produced hits and five of them hit RBIs. The Govs produced 10 hits in the game.

Gautier had another party at the plate going two-for-four with two RBIs. Junior third baseman was the only other Gov with multiple hits. He finished two-for-five with one RBI.

The Govs will continue their home stretch this weekend by hosting the Riverview Inn Invitational.
Their first game of the tournament will be against Illinois State at 3 p.m., Friday, Feb. 25. TAS

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.