CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Missouri State rode a three-run, sixth-inning rally and strong afternoon by starting pitcher Matt Russell and three relievers to a 4-1 victory over Austin Peay on a blustery Thursday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.
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Russell (1-0) limited the Governors to a single run on four hits over 5.0 innings in his first start since May 6, 2018, combining with the trio of Nick Schmidt, Trey Ziegenbein and Hayden Juenger to hold APSU hitless over the final six innings of the game.
Austin Peay benefited from a strong afternoon from starter Nolan Monaghan and reliever Ryan Kouba (0-2), who teamed up to hold the Bears (3-1) to one run on one hit through the first five frames. But fueled by a Grant Wood leadoff double, MSU broke through for three runs in the decisive sixth inning, taking advantage of three walks—including the go-ahead base-on-balls to Mason Hull with the bags full—a Greg Ziegler RBI single and a John Privitera sac fly to build a three-run cushion.
Given the lead, Schmidt worked around a leadoff walk in the home half of the sixth, and Ziegenbein turned in two scoreless frames. The Governors (2-2) brought the potential tying runs to the plate in each of the final two innings, but the Bears cut down a runner at the plate to end the eighth, and Juenger induced the game-ending fly ball to right off the bat of Garrett Spain to end the contest the following inning.
After Russell worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, the Governors broke through in the second to take a 1-0 lead. Alex Hay started the rally with a one-out single to center, kicking off a string of four-straight Austin Peay hitters reaching base safely. Griffin Rivers followed by drawing a walk, before Skyler Luna's base hit to left-center brought home Hay from second with the game's first tally.
For the second inning in a row, Russell avoided serious damage and stranded the bases full of Governors. The sophomore right-hander coaxed an infield pop-up and an inning-ending grounder to second to keep it a one-run affair.
Monaghan made the lead stand through three innings, as the senior left-hander allowed just two Missouri State baserunners before a leadoff walk to Wood sparked the Bears' first scoring threat in the fourth. Drake Baldwin ended Monaghan's no-hit bid with a single to left-center, moving Wood to third with just one out. Wood initially held his position on Ben Whetstone's sharp ground ball to third, but raced home on the throw to first and avoided Hay's tag at the plate to knot the score at 1-1.
Russell kept the Governors at bay, retiring seven of the final eight batters to complete a career-best five frames. He finished his day with four strikeouts, allowing just one run on four hits and three walks, to earn his first win since April 21, 2018.
Wood ignited the Bears' key rally in the sixth with a double to deep left and moved to third on Kouba's wild pitch. Back-to-back walks to Dakota Kotowski and Baldwin loaded the bases, but Whetstone's liner to center failed to advance the runners. Hull drew the third free pass of the inning to force home Wood with the go-ahead tally, and Ziegler promptly singled home a second run for a 3-1 MSU advantage. With the bases still full, Privitera extended the margin to three runs with a sacrifice fly to center.
Ziegler led the Bears with a 2-for-3 day at the plate, while Wood scored a pair of runs and Hull registered the game-winning RBI and reached base safely in two of his four trips to the plate.
Monaghan permitted just one run on one hit in 4.0 innings, while Peyton Jula and Drew McIllwain closed out the game with 3.1 combined innings of two-hit relief.
The Bears will look to make it two in a row to open the weekend Friday (Feb. 21), when they meet the Belmont Bruins in Nashville. Originally scheduled for a 4 p.m. start, the game's first pitch has been moved to 3:30 p.m. due to weather considerations. MSU will take on Lipscomb Saturday (2 p.m.) in Nashville, before concluding the weekend at Middle Tennessee Sunday (1 p.m.) in Murfreesboro.
