CLARKSVILLE, TN - Paul Solka and Evan Gruener both hit 2-run home runs in the seventh inning, but Austin Peay started fast and held off Bradley's late rally for an 8-4 baseball win Saturday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.

The host Governors have used two strong outings from the starting pitchers to take the first two games in the season-opening series. Bradley will try to salvage the final game when the teams meet at 1 p.m. Sunday at Raymond C. Hand Park. Senior left-hander is expected to start on the mound for the Braves Sunday.

Saturday's senior starter, Cameron Roegner (0-1) was roughed up for four runs in the first inning Saturday and surrendered six runs in his 3.0 innings. The Governors used two walks, two doubles and a triple to plate their four first-inning runs.

Meanwhile, Austin Peay starting pitcher Michael Costanzo (1-0) allowed only one base runner, a second-inning hit by pitch, through the first 6.1 innings. He began to break down in the seventh, issuing a 1-out walk to SS Tyler Leffler on five pitches. Solka, who was the victim of the hit by pitch to lead off the second, got a measure of revenge by hitting the first pitch he saw in the seventh over the left center field wall for his first home run of the season.

Solka's blast ended Costanzo's day, but the Braves were not done in the seventh. Reliever Jared Carkuff retired Jean-Francois Garon on a ground ball, but DH Allan Beer singled for Bradley's second hit of the day and LF Evan Gruener followed with his first home run of the year, a 2-run blast to right field.

Trailing 6-4, the Braves brought the tying run to the plate after C Cord Perea-Griffeth reached on an error, but Carkuff escaped further damage by getting 2B D.J. Gasso to line out to his counterpart.

Saturday's No. 9 hitter, Austin Peay SS Clayton Smithson gave the momentum back to the Governors by leading off the bottom of the seventh with a home run. The hosts gained some insurance in the eighth by scoring an unearned run.