Before opening Ohio Valley Conference play, the Austin Peay baseball team traveled to Nashville for a mid-week contest against the Lipscomb Bison of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
The Govs were forced to battle late in the game once again, but pulled out a 3-1 victory at Dugan Field.
The pitchers for both clubs, freshman Jared Carkuff for the Govs and Blake Fonfara for Lipscomb, allowed no runs through the first four innings with eight combined strikeouts.
But in the fifth, Austin Peay designated hitter Michael Davis doubled to left field to start the inning. After a single by Brite Underwood to move Davis to third, Kevin Corey brought home Davis with a RBI groundout to the right side.
Carkuff stayed on the mound for six and a third innings, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks in his second career start.
Don Whitson Jr. came on in relief for the Govs, but allowed the Bison to tie the score 1-1 after a wild pitch that scored Griffin Moore from third base.
Kacy Kemmer replaced Whitson Jr. in the eighth, and shut down Lipscomb to send the game to the ninth.
Pinch hitter Brett Carlson reached base on an error and Dylan Riner followed with his fourth walk of the day. A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third, then Corey singled to center field to give the Govs the lead. Jordan Hankins drove home Riner off a fielder’s choice, giving Austin Peay an insurance run with three outs remaining to seal the deal.
Closer Tyler Rogers was summoned from the bullpen, and even with walks to the first two batters, earned three strikeouts to end the game and give the Govs their second road win of the season.
Kemmer picked up the win, his second of the season, while Rogers earned his seventh save.
The 15-2 Govs will travel to Eastern Illinois to take on the Panthers March 15-17, which will be the first Ohio Valley Conference series match-up for Austin Peay.
