University of Memphis Athletics
Thursday, May 26
Clearwater, Fla.
10:00 AM
University of Memphis
20-38
5
vs
4
No. 2 East Carolina
34-21
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
East Carolina
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
4
8
1
Memphis
2
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
X
5
7
2
Photo by: Ben Solomon
Memphis Survives with 5-4 Win over ECU
May 26, 2016 | Baseball
Darien Tubbs hit a two-run homer in the first inning
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Memphis scored five runs over the first three innings and held on for a 5-4 win over second-seeded East Carolina to stay alive in the American Athletic Conference Tournament Thursday at Bright House Field.
The Tigers (20-38) advance to Friday and will play at 2 p.m. (CT) against the loser of Thursday's game between No. 3 UConn and No. 7 USF.
Junior centerfielder Darien Tubbs started things with a bang, smashing his third home run of the season to give Memphis a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. He finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.
From there, starting pitcher Matt Ferguson would battle his way through 4 1/3 innings on the mound before giving way to Alex Hicks, who was outstanding in earning his first career win on the mound.
The freshman pitched three innings in relief and allowed just one run on three hits. Nolan Blackwood came in to pitch the final 1 2/3 innings and record his seventh save of the season. He upped his record-setting career save total to 24.
The Pirates and Tigers traded runs in the early innings, with ECU tying the game up in the second before Memphis retook the lead in the bottom of the second and expanded it in the third.
Jason Santana drove in the go-ahead run in the second with an RBI groundout. Jacob Elliott drove in the two runs in the third with a single to right field.
ECU cut into the lead after starting the top of the fifth with back-to-back hit batters and a one-out walk to load the bases. The Tigers turned to Hicks out of the bullpen and he allowed an RBI single but got a double play to end the inning with a 5-3 lead intact.
Hicks allowed two men to reach with one out in the eighth inning and was relieved by Nolan Blackwood. After a single loaded the bases a run came home on a groundout to make the score 5-4. Blackwood worked a perfect ninth to close out the game.
Tubbs had the only multiple-hit performance for Memphis but Elliott was 1-for-4 with two RBI.
The Tigers (20-38) advance to Friday and will play at 2 p.m. (CT) against the loser of Thursday's game between No. 3 UConn and No. 7 USF.
Junior centerfielder Darien Tubbs started things with a bang, smashing his third home run of the season to give Memphis a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. He finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.
From there, starting pitcher Matt Ferguson would battle his way through 4 1/3 innings on the mound before giving way to Alex Hicks, who was outstanding in earning his first career win on the mound.
The freshman pitched three innings in relief and allowed just one run on three hits. Nolan Blackwood came in to pitch the final 1 2/3 innings and record his seventh save of the season. He upped his record-setting career save total to 24.
The Pirates and Tigers traded runs in the early innings, with ECU tying the game up in the second before Memphis retook the lead in the bottom of the second and expanded it in the third.
Jason Santana drove in the go-ahead run in the second with an RBI groundout. Jacob Elliott drove in the two runs in the third with a single to right field.
ECU cut into the lead after starting the top of the fifth with back-to-back hit batters and a one-out walk to load the bases. The Tigers turned to Hicks out of the bullpen and he allowed an RBI single but got a double play to end the inning with a 5-3 lead intact.
Hicks allowed two men to reach with one out in the eighth inning and was relieved by Nolan Blackwood. After a single loaded the bases a run came home on a groundout to make the score 5-4. Blackwood worked a perfect ninth to close out the game.
Tubbs had the only multiple-hit performance for Memphis but Elliott was 1-for-4 with two RBI.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hicks, Alex (1-2)
L: Boyd, Jimmy (7-5)
S: Blackwood, Nolan (7)
Batting:
RBI: Watkins, Travis 1 ; Tyler, Eric 1 ; Morgan, Kirk 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lamm, Parker 1 ; Watkins, Travis 1 ; Brooks, Garrett 1 ; Tyler, Eric 1
SB: Lamm, Parker 1 ; Bolka, Luke 1
CS: Williams-Sutton, D. 1
HBP: Lamm, Parker 1 ; Yorgen, Charlie 1
Batting:
HR: Tubbs, Darien 1
RBI: Tubbs, Darien 2 ; Elliott, Jacob 2 ; Santana, Jason 1
SH: Overbey, Jake 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Schritenthal, Zach 1 ; Little, Jake 1 ; Tubbs, Darien 2 ; Carrier, Chris 1
CS: Elliott, Jacob 1
HBP: Turner, Trent 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
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INF
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RHP
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RHP
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