Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Austin Peay
Players Mentioned
Racers Open OVC Road Play at Rival APSU
3/15/2018 7:20:00 PM | Baseball
GAMES 18-20
Murray State (10-7, 2-1 OVC) at Austin Peay (10-7, 2-1 OVC)
March 16-18, 2018
First Pitch: Friday: 6 p.m., Saturday: 2 p.m., Sunday: 1 p.m.
Stadium: Raymond C. Hand Park
Dimensions: 319 (LF) | 392 (CF) | 327 (RF)
Series History: MSU leads the all-time series 109-95-1
Last Meeting: MSU 17, APSU 12 – March 19, 2017
Watch Live: Game one | Game two | Game three
Live Stats: Game one | Game two | Game three
First Pitch
MSU will hit the road for the first time in over two weeks and for the first time during conference play as it travels to Clarksville, Tenn., for three games with the Governors. The Racers are just 1-4 this season in true road games. Four of those five games however, came against Power 5 opponents Kansas and Ole Miss.
Inside the Series
The Racers and Govs continue their long-standing rivalry this weekend with the Heritage Bank Battle of the Border series. The two schools have met well over 200 times all-time, with MSU holding a slight edge in the series. The Racers are 50-55 all-time in Clarksville. APSU swept the series last time at Hand Park in 2016
Free Bases
The Racers rank first in the nation in walks this season with 125. MSU is averaging over seven walks per contest and have drawn a season-best 16 walks, twice.
No Rest for the Weary
MSU is in the midst of a nine-game stretch in just 12 days. The Racers will play five games next week beginning with Brescia Monday. The Racer would have had 10 games in just 13 days but Tuesday's contest at Kentucky was canceled due to snow in Lexington.
Scouting Austin Peay
The Governors are led offensively by Nick Walker and Garrett Kueber, who are batting .345 and .339, respectively and are tied for the team lead with 14 RBIs each. Garrett Giovannelli leads APSU in runs scored with 16 and in stolen bases with five. As a team, the Govs are averaging nearly 6.5 runs per game and are batting .258 with 11 home runs and 96 RBIs.
The APSU pitching staff has a team ERA of 6.90 this season and is averaging just over eight strikeouts per game. APSU is allowing opponents to bat .289 overall. Brett Newberg has a team-best 2.25 ERA out of the bullpen this season. Newberg is 2-0 and has struck-out 11 batters in 16 innings of work. Starter Michael Costanzo has a team-best three victories and a 3.13 ERA. Costanzo also leads the team with 32 strikeouts while Jacques Pucheu leads APSU in innings pitched with 24.1 The Govs are 5-3 at home this year and are led by third-year head coach Travis Janssen.
Heritage Bank Battle of the Border
This weekend's series is part of the Heritage Bank Battle of the Border series played between Murray State and Austin Peay. The Battle of the Border is an annual rivalry series between the two longtime OVC rivals. Points are awarded for each head-to-head regular season matchup. The 67 points of the annual competition represent the 67 miles separating the two schools. Each game of the series will be worth two points. MSU currently leads the 2017-18 standings 21-12.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Game one: Peyton Hayes (RHP) (0-0, 4.87 ERA) vs. Michael Costanzo (LHP) (3-0, 3.13 ERA)
Game two: Blake Clynes (LHP) (1-0, 3.44 ERA) vs. Jacques Pucheu (LHP) (2-0, 3.33 ERA)
Game three: TBA vs. TBA
