JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball dropped game two to Austin Peay 9-3 on Saturday night at John Sessions Stadium.
The Dolphins (24-15, 9-8) led until the seventh, when the Governors hit two home runs to take the lead for good.
Stone made quick work of Austin Peay in the top of the first getting a one-two-three inning, but Austin Peay returned the favor with a quick inning of their own in the bottom of the first.
As we went to second, Stone continued to sit down Governor hitters, striking out the side. In the Dolphin half of the second,
Hogan McIntosh led things off with a double for the first hit of the game for either team.
Tommy Joseph followed that up with a base on balls to put two runners on for
Josh Steidl. He delivered for the Dolphins with a base knock back up the middle for a RBI single as Jacksonville took a 1-0 lead. Still with first and second and nobody out,
Blake DeLamielleure dug in. He punched a single into left field to load the bases.
Elias Flowers walked to score another run making it 2-0 Dolphins. However, Austin Peay did a good job nailing down the Dolphins and stranding the bases loaded.
Stone continued his early brilliance. Austin Peay was set down in order again as he went through the lineup for the first time without surrendering a hit.
Kris Armstrong led off for the Dolphins in the bottom of the third. On a 2-1 count, he lifted a fastball over the right centerfield wall for a home-run to give the Dolphins a 3-0 lead.
Stone faced the top of the Governors order and got a first pitch out as the efficiency continued. A two-out walk gave Austin Peay its first base runner of the game, but a ground out on a fielder's choice (6-4) got the Dolphins out of the inning as Stone kept the 3-0 lead through four.
DeLamielleure led off the bottom of the fourth with an infield hit to put the Dolphins right back in business. Wetterau followed that up with a base on balls to put two on, but JU failed to score, stranding two more Dolphin runners.
Stone went back out for the fifth inning and faced some traffic for the second time in the game after a one-out hit batsman. A bunt for hit broke up the no hitter as Austin Peay had first and second with one out. Stone buckled down and struck out the next batter for the second out of the inning. A fly out to right field ended the inning and the Governors stranded two and the Dolphins preserved the 3-0 lead.
Stone continued to pitch a scoreless game into the seventh inning, but a hit batter gave Austin Peay a one out base runner. A walk dealt by Stone put the tying run at the plate. A wild pitch moved the runners up 90 feet as both moved into scoring position. Another walk forced Jacksonville to go to the bullpen. A grand slam for Austin Peay gave the Governors a 4-3 lead in the seventh. A double kept the pressure on the Dolphins and a catcher's interference call put another Governor runner on base. Another home run for Austin Peay, this time a three-run bomb, put them ahead 7-3.
Austin Peay looked to add some insurance in the top of the ninth as a lead off infield hit to the right side. A perfect hit and run call on a base hit into right field allowed the runner to go from first to third to put runners at the corners with nobody out. A ground out on a fielder's choice (6-4) scored the runner from third to extend the Governors lead to 8-3. The Dolphins got a second out on a 5-3 ground out but with a runner on second, a base hit into right field scored another run for Austin Peay to build the final margin.
ON DECK
Jacksonville tries to avoid the sweep in game three on Sunday against Austin Peay. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at John Sessions Stadium.
THREE STRIKES
1.
Kris Armstrong now is tied for second in the country in home runs with 20
2.
Dakota Stone struck out eight Austin Peay batters in his start
3.
Josh Steidl and Blake DeLamiellure had both had a two-hit games
