Tigers Hold on to Beat Texas Tech

Saturday, February 28

Lake Charles, La.

12 PM

University of Memphis

5-7

Texas Tech

9-9

Memphis

Texas Tech

Feb 28, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

Feb. 28, 2015

Box Score

Box Score (PDF)

LAKE CHARLES, La. - Calli Irvin and Haleigh Ross both homered in the first inning as the University of Memphis held on to beat Texas Tech 12-9 in the early game of the second day of the Cowgirl Classic.

Memphis (5-7) scored a season-high in runs and scored in every frame except for the seventh inning. Tech (9-9) threatened early and often, loading the bases four times, but stranded 14 runners to Memphis' 11.

The Tigers came out and put five runs on the board in the first inning, doing all of it with two outs. Lindsay Crowdus and Cierra Mangum walked, bringing up Irvin, who helped herself out by sending an 0-1 pitch soaring over the wall in center to make it 3-0.

Brooke Lee followed that up with a single to left center, and then Ross brought her in with a line-drive home run over the left field wall.

Control from the circle was an issue all game for both teams. Memphis walked 14 batters, a program record, while the Red Raiders gave free passes to 10 Tiger batters. Each pitcher also hit a batter.

Irvin started in the circle for the Tigers. She threw two innings and gave up just one run and zero hits, but had six walks and a hit batter.

Texas Tech loaded the bases in the first and second innings without getting a hit, and their first run came off of a bases loaded walk in the second.

After scoring a run in the second, the Tigers chased starting Red Raider pitcher Cara Custer from the game with a leadoff single via Lee. Custer would later come back to finish the game, and threw five complete innings, giving up 12 hits and nine runs, eight of which were earned. She struck out only two batters and walked six.

Chandler Moore entered and promptly allowed Lee to advance with a wild pitch. A passed ball allowed her to move to third, and a second passed ball scored her, making it 7-1.

Molly Smith took charge of the circle for the Tigers in the third, and she'd pitch 4.0 innings. She gave up six hits and eight runs and walks, striking out three en route to her first victory as a Tiger.

The Tigers took an 8-3 lead into the fifth inning, which would prove to be an important one for the UofM. Ross, Sami Jo Schulz and Wheeler Hill all earned walks to load the bases. After a fly out, Brittany Vaughn pinch hit and was hit by a pitch, bringing in the ninth run. Then Crowdus grounded out to second, allowing Schulz to score what would be the deciding run.

The Tigers added two more in the top of the sixth to make it 12-3, and it looked as if they'd have a comfortable win, but Texas Tech wasn't done yet. Back-to-back walks and a single loaded the bases. Another walk scored the runner, and then a bunt allowed a second run to score, and kept the bases loaded for pinch-hitter Kierra Miles, who hit a 2-1 pitch out for a grand slam. All of a sudden it was 12-9 with only one out. Texas Tech would get runners to second and third, but Smith got a strikeout and a popup to stop the bleeding and head to the seventh.

The final inning was the only time Memphis didn't manage to get a run, but senior Jordan Richwood entered the game for her first save of the season.

Memphis outhit the Red Raiders 13-6, and defensively neither team committed an error. The Tigers aren't done with the second day of the Cowgirl Classic. They face the tournament host McNeese State at 6 p.m.

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