Wallingford Pitches Gem in 6-1 Tiger Win

Saturday, March 14

Memphis, Tenn.

5:00 PM

University of Memphis

7-4

Eastern Illinois

0-11

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Eastern Illinois	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	3
Memphis	1	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	X	6	7	0

Mar 14, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

March 14, 2015

Final Stats

Memphis 6, Eastern Illinois 1 Box Score

Memphis senior left-hander Caleb Wallingford struck out five and gave up just one hit in 8 1/3 innings of work as the Tigers opened a three-game series with a 6-1 win over Eastern Illinois Saturday at FedExPark.

With its third straight win, Memphis improved to 7-4 heading into a Sunday double-header with Eastern Illinois. The first game is set for 1 p.m. at FedExPark. Eastern Illinois is now 0-11.

Wallingford took a perfect game into the eighth inning Saturday and following some solid defense in the seventh, certainly looked to be on track for the Tigers' first no-hitter since 1987.

In the top half of the seventh, Memphis centerfield Darien Tubbs chased down one-hole hitter Caleb Howell's deep fly to right center for the first out of the inning. Two batters later, third baseman Zach Schritenthal dove to his left and snared a low line drive by Brant Valach for the frame's final out.

And the defensive momentum continued for the Tigers when they came up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh.

Tucker Tubbs led off with a double to left center field and Carter White drew a walk. A sacrifice bunt by Brandon Montgomery advanced the runners. Chris Carrier then doubled off the left field line to drive in two runs and chase Eastern Illinois starter Matt Wivinis.

Carrier would steal third and score on an error during the play to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead.

The bottom of the seventh would continue with Scritenthal singling and stealing second before Tubbs drew a walk. Jake Overbey would single to drive in a run and Tubbs would later steal home on a pickoff play at first.

After having retired 21 straight EIU batters, Wallingford hit Demetre Taylor to leadoff the eighth inning. Wallingford forced Isaac Sampen to fly out to center field and then played Jason Scholl's grounder to the right side of the mound for the second out. Mitch Gasbarro would break up the no-hitter with a double down the left field line scoring Taylor.

Wallingford was just an out shy of equaling a career high for innings pitched. He struck out five on the day and improved to 2-1 on the year. Wivinis is now 0-3 for Eastern Illinois.

Memphis jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with a manufactured run. Tubbs led off the inning with a base hit. Running on the play, he moved to second when Overbey grounded out to short. Tubbs later advanced to third on a wild pitch. He scored when Kane Barrow grounded out to third.

After the first inning, the Tigers would get just three base runners on board before rallying in the seventh.