Western (11-10, 3-6 Sun Belt Conference) took a step back in its season when the Toppers lost 9-3 to Austin Peay (11-9, 1-2 Ohio Valley Conference) last night.

Topper head coach Chris Finwood was anything but happy with his team’s performance.

“Well, it wasn’t very good,” Finwood said. “It was probably the worst overall game we’ve played all year, I think.”

Austin Peay had three multi-run innings at the end of the night, including a four-run seventh inning.

The night started off a little rough when freshman pitcher Bryce Jenney walked the first batter of the night and hit the second.

A triple down the right field line by sophomore designated hitter/pitcher Matt Kole brought in the two base runners.

The Governors’ shortstop Greg Bachman hit a double to right to bring home Kole before the inning was over.

Western stayed close when senior center fielder Scott Kaskie scored the Toppers’ first run of the night after being walked and then brought in to score off of a sacrifice fly from junior right fielder Chad Cregar.

The third inning brought more trouble for Jenney as he gave up two more runs making the score 1-5.

“You always avoid the big inning by not giving up walks,” Junior pitcher Ben Paxton who closed last night’s game said. “And we definitely walked too many guys tonight and have been lately, so I think that’s the main thing.”

The bottom of the fourth inning started with a leadoff home run over the left field wall by junior shortstop Terrence Dayleg pulling the Toppers within three.

Junior pitcher Evan Teague and senior pitcher Adam Balcom worked together to produce three scoreless innings for Austin Peay after Teague was brought in for relief in the third for Jenney.

In fifth inning Kaskie hit a 400 ft. home run over the center field wall to make the score 3-5.

“I was looking slider and that’s what he threw me and I just stayed on it and hit it well,” Kaskie said. “I really didn’t think it was gonna get out. I figured it would hit the wall or make it to the warning track.”

Kaskie’s shot to center field was the last run Western would score.

After refusing to give up any runs in the sixth inning, Balcom found trouble in the seventh.

Austin Peay senior third baseman Tyler Farrar hit a three-run home run and junior first baseman Ryan Gilboy hit a two-out double to score Will Hogue, making the score 3-9 and eventually giving the Governors the win.

“We didn’t do anything offensively other than hitting two home runs,” Finwood said. “They just threw a bunch of slow breaking ball guys and we just didn’t do anything with ‘em.”

The Toppers return to action for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday against Youngstown State at Nick Denes Field.

Reach Ryan Carey at sports@chherald.com.