Three weeks after the SIU baseball team blew out Austin Peay State in Carbondale, the Governors turned the trick on the Salukis in a 17-7 non-conference victory in Clarksville, Tenn.

Austin Peay (20-14, 11-7 Ohio Valley Conference) jumped on sophomore Saluki starter Connor McFadden (0-1) and scored five runs in the second inning, never looking back.

SIU (7-30, 3-6) cut the Governors’ lead to 5-3 with 2 runs in the third and 1 in the fourth before APSU scored four of its own in the bottom of the fourth.

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A solo home run by sophomore first baseman Dre Gleason and a three-run shot by sophomore third baseman Logan Gray highlighted a six-run sixth inning for Austin Peay to drive the nail into SIU’s coffin. 

Sophomore starter Caleb Powell (5-1) earned the win for the Governors, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits through 5 innings. Powell struck out two Salukis and walked none.

Four of Austin Peay’s hitters collected 3 hits. Three others had multi-hit days. Gray collected a game-high 5 RBIs.

SIU freshman catcher Nick Hutchins hit a solo home run in the ninth inning, his second of the season. The blast tied him with freshman Greg Lambert for the team lead.

Freshman center fielder Braden Mosley added a three-run home run, the first of his career, to cut the Austin Peay lead to 17-6 in the ninth. He and Hutchins led the Salukis with 2 hits apiece.

SIU played an error-free game. Saluki coach Ken Henderson said the pitching staff underperformed Wednesday.

“We didn’t pitch well enough to win,” Henderson said. “We played hard and had no errors. But the pitching staff gives up 17 runs and we lose the game.”

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The Salukis return home this weekend for a conference series with the Illinois State Redbirds (17-16, 4-5) starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Itchy Jones Stadium. 

Thomas Donley can be reached at [email protected] or at 536-3311 ext. 269.