FINAL STATS

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Zach Toney allowed just one hit in eight solid innings on the mound to lead Austin Peay to a 5-2 win over Jacksonville State in the opening game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series on Friday.
 
Toney (3-2) threw 128 pitches and had eight strikeouts, while retiring 17 of his final 18 batters to earn the win for the Govs. Aaron Elias (2-5) had eight strikeouts and gave up seven hits and two runs to suffer the loss for the Gamecocks.
 
The Governors took an early lead after scoring an unearned run in the first inning as Michael Blanchard scored on a JSU throwing error to build a 1-0 lead.
 
Austin Peay tacked on another run in the third inning after Reed Harper reached on a one-out walk and scored all the way from first on a RBI single by Greg Bachman to right center to give the Govs a 2-0 lead.
 
The Govs added three more runs in the seventh inning on a RBI double by Harper and Bachman drove in two more runs with a double down the left field line as APSU built a 5-0 lead.
 
Jax State got on the scoreboard in the ninth inning after Sam Eberle led off with a double off of APSU reliever Mike Hebert. Erik Underwood then hit a two-run home run over the right field fence for the final margin.
 
Underwood had two of JSU's three hits in the game, including his fifth home run of the season. Blanchard, Harper, Bachman and Jon Clinard each had a pair of hits to lead the Govs.
 
The two teams will play the second game of the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday. JSU's Daniel Watts (3-5, 5.68 ERA) will face APSU's Ryan Quick (4-1, 4.41) and the game will be carried on the JSU Radio Network.