Home Runs Sink Memphis at Belmont

Monday, April 25

Nashville, Tenn.

4:00 PM

University of Memphis

14-27

Belmont

23-17

Memphis

Belmont

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Apr 25, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

The Belmont Bruins hit five home runs on the way to a 12-6 win

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Memphis pitchers allowed five Belmont home runs as the Tigers lost 12-6 to the Bruins Monday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park. The two teams will play again Tuesday at FedExPark at 2 p.m.

Alex Hicks made his first career start on the mound and pitched 3 2/3 innings allowing four runs on four hits. The freshman walked five batters with two strikeouts.

The Tigers (14-27, 5-7 American) had two home runs of their own in the game with Colton Neel and Darien Tubbs each hitting solo shots. In addition to Neel and Tubbs, Brandon Grudzielanek, Chris Carrier and Trent Turner all drove in runs.

Memphis opened the scoring after Carrier reached on an error to start the second inning. He stole second base and moved to third on a groundout. Turner drove in Carrier with a single to left field.

Alex Hicks had retired eight straight batters and the first two of the third inning before giving up a two-out double and a two-run home run to give Belmont a 2-1 lead.

Neel knotted the game up with an opposite field solo homer, making the score 2-2 in the top of the fourth inning.

Belmont took its first lead of the game, 3-2, after a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth came around to score on an RBI double. The fourth walk of the inning scored another run and ended Hicks' day on the mound.

Reliever Bryan Cruse came out of the bullpen and got the Tigers out of the jam.

The Tigers got a run back in the top of the fifth when Grudzielanek legged out a two-out infield single with a runner at third base.

Belmont blew the game open in the fifth with two more homers, including a grand slam by infielder Kyle Conger that made the score 9-3.

Alex Smith pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth inning in relief, one of just four scoreless frames for Memphis pitching in the game.

Darien Tubbs sparked a rally in the seventh with a solo home run to left field. After Little and Jacob Elliott reached base with two outs, Carrier smacked a two-run double to cut the Belmont lead to 9-6.

Trevor Sutton started the bottom of the seventh and allowed three runs on a pair of homers. Trey McNickle came out of the bullpen and got the final out of the inning. McNickle followed that up with a scoreless bottom of the eighth inning.