Austin Peay put up a couple of huge offensive innings to blow open close games in a three-game sweep of the Skyhawk baseball team this weekend.

In Saturday’s opener, the Skyhawks took a 3-2 lead into the sixth inning as a result of consecutive sacrifice plays by Brett Hall and Zach Dean in the fourth inning.

After neither team scored in the fifth, the Governors exploded for twelve unanswered runs to win the game, 14-3.

UTM starter Adam Ledlow allowed nine runs on twelve hits in five and one-third innings.

The Governors loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth inning. A walk allowed the tying run to score, knotting the score at 3-3.

After an RBI groundout and an error made it 5-3, the Governors got three consecutive hits to push the lead to 9-3 and force Ledlow out of the game. Reliever Dustin Summers allowed three more runs before ending the inning with a strikeout.

The Skyhawks were unable to mount much of a rally as they failed to put together a significant inning after taking the lead.

The Skyhawks hit .212 for the game and stranded six baserunners. They were out-hit, 18-7. Nick Bruner went 3-for-4 to lead the Skyhawks offense.

Game two was a marked contrast from the previous game as the two teams combined for only five hits in a 2-0 Austin Peay victory. Both starters were able to finish the seven-inning game, as UTM’s Justin Bryant held the Governors to three hits in the loss.

Chris Rezabek and Douglas Nicodemus picked up the Skyhawk hits. The difference in the game was the third inning, when the Governors used their speed on the bases to manufacture runs.

Ryan Kane led off with a single, then stole second base. Cody Youngblood followed with a walk and stolen base of his own. Consecutive sacrifice flies then drove in the two baserunners.

The Skyhawks picked up a hit in the bottom half of the inning from Nicodemus, but it was followed by consecutive strikeouts to end the inning. Rezabek doubled to left leading off the fifth inning, but was stranded on second base. The Skyhawks hit .087 for the game, compared to Austin Peay’s .143.

Casey Estill started the series finale for the Skyhawks and struggled in the third inning of the 6-1 loss. Youngblood led off the inning with a triple, which seemed to rattle Estill. He walked the next three batters to force in a run, giving the Governors a 1-0 lead. A wild pitch, a base hit, and an error brought in three more runs and ended Estill’s outing.

Jacob Smothers came in to relieve Estill and controlled the bleeding effectively.

The Skyhawks’ run came in the third inning. Jason Moore led off with a single and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Hideaki Sato. Then, Blake Turner singled and stole second, allowing Moore to score on the throw.

Catcher Bret Spivy made a great tag on APSU’s Ryan Kane at the plate for the third out in the top of the seventh inning, preventing the Governors from extending their lead.

UTM’s offense was balanced, with six different players each contributing a hit.

Estill’s record falls to 1-8 on the season after his two and two-third inning performance.

Scott Massey pitched the last five innings for the Skyhawks and was impressive. Coming off an arm injury, Massey shut out the Governors and allowed only four hits while striking out four.

The Skyhawks are now 8-29 overall and 3-11 in the OVC. They return to action this afternoon and tomorrow at 3 p.m. against Mississippi Valley State and Belmont, respectively, at Skyhawk field. This weekend they face OVC rival Murray in a 3-game series at home.