EDWARDSVILLE – Austin Peay left-hander Jacques Pucheu outdueled SIUE right-hander Kenny Serwa as Austin Peay defeated SIUE 4-0 Saturday at Simmons Baseball Complex.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
The Governors improved to 28-19 overall and 17-9 in OVC play. The Cougars fell to 13-31 overall and 4-19 in the OVC.
"That's two days in a row and now 18 innings without being able to plate anybody," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said. "It's tough right now offensively. (Pucheu) did a nice job."
Austin Peay scored all the runs in needed with two outs in the first inning. Kyle Wilson drove home two with a double and Garrett Kueber singled to drive home another run against Serwa.
Serwa settled down to last eight innings. He allowed a run and just two hits after the first inning.
The OVC home run leader Parker Phillips added a solo homer, his 17th of the year, sixth to make it 4-0.
Serwa struck out six and walked two. He dropped to 3-5 with the loss. With eight innings Saturday, Serwa took over the lead league in innings pitched at 73 2/3.
"Kenny had a rough first inning but then settled in nicely," Lyons said. "He gave us a quality start and kept us in the game all the way until the end. He has a really good feel for pitching. He has gotten stronger as the year has gone on. I am proud of him for the way he has pitched."
SIUE collected only four hits and stranded six runners, including three in scoring position. Brock Hammit walked to start the second inning and advanced to third base on a wild pitch and passed the ball with nobody out, but the Cougars failed to score.
"We had an opportunity: runner on third base nobody out and we come up empty," Lyons said. "That's early in a game where could have gotten back in it."
Pucheu worked into the eighth. He allowed four hits and struck out six.
Jared McCunn led SIUE. He was 2 for 3 with a walk. Wilson had two hits and two RBIs to lead Austin Peay.
With wins in the first two games of the series, Austin Peay has won the weekend series from SIUE.
"We have to try to salvage tomorrow," Lyons said. "Anytime you lose games one and two you have to try to show up the ballpark with the mindset of nothing else but finding a way to win a ball game. We'll have to do that tomorrow."
