Austin Peay baseball slugging their way to success
The Governors have the most dangerous offense in the country, and it’s pushing them towards a conference title.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The Austin Peay baseball team has been racking up runs and wins during the program’s quick turnaround under Head Coach Roland Fanning.
Fanning came to Clarksville from Oklahoma State. He made sure to pack the bats when he accepted the job in May 2022. The team’s offense is a big reason why they have gone from 19 total wins in 2022, to 33 and counting in 2024.
“Offensively it’s felt like it’s been a video game. Anybody can leave the yard in our lineup one through nine. It’s just something that’s really cool to watch,” Austin Peay star Lyle Miller-Green said.
The Governors lead the nation in hits, batting average, doubles, home runs, slugging percentage, on base percentage and runs going into this weekend’s play. The team credits the coaches and the offseason work for the success.
“The guys we have in the lineup everyday, there’s not an easy out in the lineup,” Austin Peay senior Harrison Brown said. “When you’re hitting behind somebody that is hitting .380, which it feels like everybody is in the lineup, it makes it a lot easier on you because teams got to pick and choose who they go after.”
Teams are smart to avoid Miller-Green and John Bay, who both followed Fanning from Oklahoma State. They both rank in the top 10 in the country for homers. Miller-Green is fourth with 27, which is an Austin Peay record. Bay is 10th in the country with 23.
“I would say it’s a friendly competition,” Bay said. “We’re both pulling for each other pretty hard. Whenever he goes big fly or I do we’re both on the top rail yelling at each other. It’s been fun. He’s a freak watching him, 27 and counting for him.”
The bats have been in a groove up and down the roster. It’s a great problem to have for Fanning, but it does make setting a lineup tough.
“It’s something that I’m going to really miss. You don’t get this every year. I will tell you the hardest part of my day is the 30 minutes before first pitch when I have to actually turn in the lineup cause there’s always two or three guys that I can’t put in the lineup that day and those guys are more than capable of starting as well,” Fanning said.
The team’s well-rounded attack has led to their 33-18 record, which is their most wins in a season since 2013. That year they finished with 47 wins. It is also the last time they won a conference title and advanced to an NCAA Regional.
“It’s our job to have a chance to add a championship to that wall as well,” Fanning said. “In year two, it happens when it’s supposed to happen. When you got guys doing the right things and supporting one another and competing the way they compete, you look up at the end of the year and you have a chance.”
The 11-year drought without a conference title is on the verge of coming to a close for the Governors. Entering the final weekend of the regular season, they sit alone atop the Atlantic Sun standings. If they play well in their three-game series against North Alabama, they will be updating the walls at Raymond C. Hand Park.
“We’ve talked about it since August, bring multiple championships out here to Clarksville. Right now we’re sitting pretty in order to do that,” Miller-Green said.
Game one against North Alabama is Thursday at 6 p.m. Games two and three will follow on Friday and Saturday.
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