JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball fell 10-7 to Austin Peay in a 12-inning contest on Friday night at John Sessions Stadium.
 
The Dolphins (24-14, 9-7) tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, but left the winning run in scoring position in the ninth, 10th and 11th innings before the Governors took the lead for good in the 12th.
 
In the top of the first for the Governors, a leadoff home-run quickly made it 1-0 Austin Peay. A base hit into left field followed by a walk put runners on first and second with one out for the five-hole hitter. Evan Chrest got a line out to Justin Nadeau at second base for the second out of the inning, but Austin Peay wasn't done. A base hit into right field drove in another run to make in 2-0 before the inning ended.
 
In the bottom of the second, Tommy Joseph led things off with a base hit back up the middle, bringing up Josh Steidl for Jacksonville. On a 3-2 count, Steidl hit a lazy fly ball to left field, but it was dropped for an error to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Elias Flowers drew a free pass to load the bases, so it was up to the nine hole hitter, Colin Wetterau to produce. He did with a base knock into left cut the Austin Peay lead to 2-1. The Dolphins stranded the bases loaded. 
 
Chrest began to settle into the game as he pitched scoreless frames through the next four innings, but Austin Peay clung to a 2-1 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Hogan McIntosh fought off an inside pitch and pushed it the other way for a leadoff single. After a fly out to center, Steidl got his second hit of the night, sending McIntosh from first to third. A ground ball by Blake DeLamielleure got under the glove of the third baseman, allowing McIntosh to score from third to tie the game. Elias Flowers kept the rally going with a base knock into right field to load the bases again for Wetterau, still with only one out. On a 3-2 count, Wetterau looked at ball four to plate another run giving Jacksonville the lead, 3-2. The top of the order was up for Jacksonville after the walk to Wetterau as Malloy grabbed a bat for the fourth time. On a ground ball to shortstop, a throw home to try to get the lead runner pulled the catcher off the plate that allowed the runner score making it 4-2 Dolphins. A passed ball scored another run for the Dolphins making it 5-2. On a 2-2 count, Nadeau hit a RBI grounded out (5-3) that made it 6-2 before the inning ended.
 
As we moved the seventh, Bryce Fisher took over on mound for Chrest. A leadoff double got Austin Peay back in business. A ground out to shortstop advanced the runner to third with one away. A ground out to second scored the run to cut the Dolphin lead to 6-3.
 
After the Dolphins went down in order, a one-out double had Austin Peay back in scoring position trying to climb back into it. On the very next pitch, Austin Peay hammered its second home run of the game to cut the Dolphin lead to one run, 6-5. A walk and a bloop base hit put two more on for the Governors and that forced Head Coach Chris Hayes to go to his closer, Chris Lotito. A fly ball to deep center advanced the runner on second to third, but recorded the second out of the inning. A hit by pitch loaded the bases for the Austin Peay three-hole hitter. Lotito buckled down and struck him out on three straight pitches to strand the bases loaded and preserve the Dolphins lead.
 
JU failed to add any insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. As we moved to the ninth, Lotito went back out to try to pick up another save. 
 
A leadoff walk put the tying run on base for Austin Peay to begin the ninth. A double put two men on in scoring position with nobody out as the Governors were threatening. Following a strikeout for Lotito, a base hit scored both runs to give Austin Peay a one run lead, 7-6. 
 
The Dolphins weren't done yet though as a towering homerun over the right field wall by Steidl tied the game at seven. A walk to DeLamielleure put the winning run on base forcing Austin Peay to make a pitching change. DeLamielleure stole second base to put the winning run in scoring position, but was stranded there.
 
Leighton Alley came on to pitch in the top of the tenth. With one out, a walk to the Governors leadoff man put the go-ahead-run on base for Austin Peay. However, a 4-6-3 double play ended the inning.
 
In the bottom of the eleventh, DeLamielleure snuck a ground ball into left field for a base hit to put the potential winning run on base. He stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error to put the winning run 90 feet away. However, a strike out ended the inning.
 
We went to the twelfth inning dead locked at seven as Austin Peay grabbed the bats trying to score a go ahead run. A lead off base hit into right field put that go-ahead runner on base. However, Wetterau threw the runner out trying to steal second base. The Governors weren't done though, as a base hit put that runner right back on first base with one away. Another base hit into right field put the go-ahead-run in scoring position, then yet another single into left field loaded the bases for the two-hole hitter. He took advantage of the bases loaded situation with a two-RBI single to give Austin Peay a 9-7 lead. Yet another single for the Governors scored another run to make it 10-7. That ended Alley's night as Coach Hayes had to go to the bullpen and it was Blake Barquin who got the nod. Barquin got a fly out to right fielder DeLamielleure, who nailed the runner trying to tag up to second base for a 9-6 double play. 
 
Jacksonville put two o, but failed to score in the bottom half as Austin Peay held on to win.
 
ON DECK
 
Jacksonville returns to action on Saturday against Austin Peay at John Sessions Stadium, looking to even the series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
 
THREE STRIKES
 
1.     Josh Steidl blasted his first homerun of the season, as part of a three-hit game
2.     Jacksonville lost a series-opening game for the first time this season
3.     Hogan McIntosh extended his hit streak to 11 games