Breds Ride Big First Inning to Win

Sunday, March 30

Clarksville, Tenn.

1 p.m.

Murray State

12-12, 6-5

Austin Peay

10-16, 3-5

Murray State

Austin Peay

Brock Downey tossed 8.2 innings to improve to 5-1 on the season.

Photo by: Samantha Mohr

3/30/2014 4:48:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

| BOX SCORE (.pdf)

Murray State scored four runs in the top of the first inning and then turned the game over to left hander Brock Downey for a 6-4 victory over Austin Peay Sunday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.

MSU (12-12, 6-5 OVC) wasting little time on getting the offense going as Ty Stetson was hit by the second pitch of the game. One-out walks to Anthony Bayus and Tyler Lawrence loaded the bases for Michael Hargrove to deliver a two-run single off the glove of the second baseman. A Kollin Dowdy single loaded the base again for a two-run Rick Linton single to right field.

Downey (5-1) did not have his best stuff, but battled throughout to earn the victory. He fell one out shy of his third-straight complete game. The junior went 8.2 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and five strikeouts.

The Govs (10-16, 3-5 OVC) got back in the game in the third as Logan Gray hit a solo home run to left field. A single and a walk later in the inning set up Dre Gleason for a two-run double into the right-field corner.

The Breds responded the next half inning with a Stetson leadoff double to right center and a Bayus RBI single through the right side. MSU looked to make it an even bigger inning by loading the bases, but failed to push across anymore runs.

A leadoff walk in the fifth inning helped the Breds to extend the lead to 6-3. A failed sacrifice bunt was followed by a stolen base to put a runner on second with two outs. Matt McGowan drove in the runner with single just inside the bag at third.

APSU had a great shot to tie the game in the seventh as a leadoff double and a walk was followed by an RBI double to left center. But, that would be all the Govs would get as Downey got a flyout to shallow center, strikeout looking and popup to shortstop ended the inning.

John Lollar (2) earned the save as he retired the final hitter on a lineout to first base.

Levi Primasing (2-2) took the loss after giving up four runs on three hits and five walks over 2.2 innings.

McGowan, Bayus and Hargrove each collected two hits, while Linton went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a pair of walks.

The two teams will close out the three-game series Monday afternoon at 2 p.m.