Governors sweep Redbirds, take finale 6-4

[February 25, 2013]  CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Eric Aguilera had four hits and drove in two runs, but Austin Peay (6-1) rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to upend Illinois State (2-4) 6-4 Sunday in Clarksville, Tenn. The Redbirds walked nine batters in defeat.

Ryan Quick (1-0) picked up the victory in relief, throwing three innings and allowing an earned run on two hits. He struck out five and walked one. Joe Claver (1-1) suffered the loss, allowing two earned runs in 2 1/3 innings, with one strikeout and four walks. For the second consecutive game, Tyler Rogers recorded a save (4), striking out two batters in a scoreless ninth inning.

Aguilera paced a 10-hit Illinois State attack, going 4 for 4 with two RBIs and one double. Brett Kay and Matt Krenz each added two hits, and Zac Johnson and Jack Czeszewski each collected an RBI. Jordan Hankins and Craig Massoni each had two hits for Austin Peay, with Massoni adding three RBIs.

The Governors scored twice in the second inning off ISU starter Dan Savas. Massoni opened the frame with a walk and scored on Cody Hudson's RBI double. Designated hitter Kyle Schlatter added a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Governors.

The teams exchanged runs in the fourth inning. Czeszewski's RBI single scored Aguilera, who reached base on a two-out single. Massoni opened the bottom of the inning with a solo home run off Savas, who pitched 3 2/3 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits for a no-decision.

Illinois State added two runs in the fifth inning on RBI hits from Johnson and Aguilera off Austin Peay starter A.J. Gaura. Gaura pitched a no-decision, working five innings of three-run ball. He struck out seven and walked none.

Claver pitched out of trouble in the sixth inning, picking off Rolando Gautier with men on the corners and two outs to keep Austin Peay off the board. In the seventh, Aguilera lined a two-strike RBI single to right field off Quick to score Kay and give Illinois State its first lead, 4-3.

Claver walked leadoff hitter Kevin Corey to open the bottom of the seventh inning and allowed a hit to Hankins. JD Learnard then entered the game and walked Reed Harper to load the bases, before Massoni's two-run single gave Austin Peay the lead for good. P.J. Torres added a sacrifice fly to make it 6-4.

Kay lined an opposite-field single off Rogers in the ninth inning with two outs, but Rogers struck out Johnson to end the game.

Illinois State travels to Nashville, Tenn., for a three-game series at Belmont, March 1-3.

[Text from news release received from Illinois State University]