NASHVILLE - Lipscomb got back in the win column to start ASUN play with a 5-3 win over Austin Peay (11-6) at Ken Dugan Field in Friday's series opener. 

The Bisons snapped an eight-game losing skid with the win over Austin Peay, earning their fourth victory of the year.

Austin Peay tested the Bisons early, putting several runners on base in the first few innings, but Lipscomb's defense and pitching held firm, allowing no runs for the first five innings. 

Lipscomb's Friday starter Alex Brewer had a productive outing on the mound. In his 5.2 innings pitched, he allowed just six hits with three strikeouts to help keep the Governors off the board.

The Bisons broke the silence with a four-run bottom of the third inning to break away from the Governors. Alex Vergara doubled down the left field line with two outs, and then Mason Lundgrin kept the inning alive with a four-pitch walk. Trace Willhoite then singled through the left side the bring home the Bisons first run, followed by a three-run blast from Austin Kelly to put the Bisons up four after three. 

Lipscomb held the Governors at bay with some great defense efforts and execution all around with runners on base until the sixth inning, when Austin Peay connected on back-to-back solo home runs to center field, cutting into the Bisons' lead in half.

The Bisons were able to get a run back in the seventh, as Kelly notched his fourth RBI of the contest on a sacrifice fly with the bases jammed, putting the Bisons up 5-2.

In their last efforts in the ninth, Austin Peay added a run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly with two outs, but a Ben Wilson strikeout closed game one of the series in Lipscomb's favor by a 5-3 decision. 

Relief pitchers Joey Mitchell, Jake Poindexter, and Ben Wilson certainly did their part. The bunch did not allow a run in their combined 3.1 innings of work and also allowed just one hit with three strikeouts to help Lipscomb secure its first conference win. 

POSTGAME NOTES

• RHP Alex Brewer earned his first win of the season, improving to 1-2. 
• RHP Ben Wilson went down for the save, his first of the year. 
• Jacob Tobias was the only player with multiple hits for the Bisons, going 2-of-3 during his plate appearances Friday. The outing was just his third start of the season, and his two hits were his first two as a Bison.
• Austin Kelly ended the meeting with four RBI.
• The Bisons turned two double play. 
• Lipscomb has won eight of their last ten over the Governors.

UP NEXT
Game two of the series against Austin Peay will begin on Saturday, March 16, with a 2 p.m. CT first pitch at Ken Dugan Field. For more information on Bisons Baseball, check lipscombsports.com or follow the team's social media accounts (@lipscombbaseball on IG and @BisonBaseball on X).