2008 Woodie Awards
Vanderbilt ends Govs' super season
Marlon Scott
Issue date: 4/25/07 Section: Sports
The Austin Peay State University Governors baseball season came to an end Sunday when the Vanderbilt Commodores defeated them for the fourth time this season 11-5 in the NCAA Baseball Championship's Nashville Regional at Hawkins Field.
After losing to Vanderbilt (53-12) 2-1 in their first game of the tournament, Austin Peay (40-22) picked up their first NCAA Tournament contest victory since 2002 by defeating the Memphis Tigers (36-27) 18-7.
The Govs opened the game with six runs in the first inning and put up six more in the fifth to take a 15-7 lead that they would not relinquish. They generated 17 hits on six different Memphis pitchers.
First baseman Jake Lane led the Govs offensive explosion going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Junior shortstop Levi Cheshire and freshman catcher Tyler Bullock both hit two-run home runs in the game.
It was Austin Peay's 40th win of the season and just the second team in school history to win at least 40 games (1996 team won 44).
After defeating Memphis, the Govs had to face Vanderbilt for the fourth time this season.
The previous game was a close, all-star pitching duel that ended with an unusual error. This last game was an offensive shootout and the Commodores apparently had the most ammunition.
Junior third baseman Tyler Farrar silenced the Commodore fans early with a two-run home run in the first inning. Farrar has a hit in each game of the tournament including two home runs against Vanderbilt.
In the bottom of the third inning with the bases loaded, Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez smacked one down the first baseline to the right field wall for a 2 RBI single that tied the game 3-3. But the tie would not last long. With the count at 2-1, Vanderbilt shortstop Ryan Flaherty sent the next pitch over the right field wall for a three run home run that gave the Commodores the lead 6-3.
Flaherty led the Commodores going 5-for-5 with 3 RBI. Flaherty and Alvarez are the first two Commodores to have 100 hits in the same season.
After losing to Vanderbilt (53-12) 2-1 in their first game of the tournament, Austin Peay (40-22) picked up their first NCAA Tournament contest victory since 2002 by defeating the Memphis Tigers (36-27) 18-7.
The Govs opened the game with six runs in the first inning and put up six more in the fifth to take a 15-7 lead that they would not relinquish. They generated 17 hits on six different Memphis pitchers.
First baseman Jake Lane led the Govs offensive explosion going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Junior shortstop Levi Cheshire and freshman catcher Tyler Bullock both hit two-run home runs in the game.
It was Austin Peay's 40th win of the season and just the second team in school history to win at least 40 games (1996 team won 44).
After defeating Memphis, the Govs had to face Vanderbilt for the fourth time this season.
The previous game was a close, all-star pitching duel that ended with an unusual error. This last game was an offensive shootout and the Commodores apparently had the most ammunition.
Junior third baseman Tyler Farrar silenced the Commodore fans early with a two-run home run in the first inning. Farrar has a hit in each game of the tournament including two home runs against Vanderbilt.
In the bottom of the third inning with the bases loaded, Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez smacked one down the first baseline to the right field wall for a 2 RBI single that tied the game 3-3. But the tie would not last long. With the count at 2-1, Vanderbilt shortstop Ryan Flaherty sent the next pitch over the right field wall for a three run home run that gave the Commodores the lead 6-3.
Flaherty led the Commodores going 5-for-5 with 3 RBI. Flaherty and Alvarez are the first two Commodores to have 100 hits in the same season.
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