Tigers Even Missouri State Series with Dramatic 6-5 Win

Saturday, March 18

Springfield, MO

2:00 PM

University of Memphis

11-7

Missouri State

13-5

Memphis

Missouri State

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers Even Missouri State Series with Dramatic 6-5 Win

Mar 18, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score

Memphis jumped out to an early lead and held on late

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Memphis pulled out a dramatic 6-5 win over Missouri State Saturday at Hammons Field, leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory. The Tigers (11-7) evened the series and will go for the series win Sunday at 1:05 p.m.

The Tigers got out to a great start again, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. Zach Schritenthal started the game with a single but it wasn't until the Tigers had two outs that they really went to work.

Andy Bowman singled to drive in Schritenthal for the first run before Chris Carrier walked to keep the inning alive. Trent Turner doubled the lead with a single to center field and Alec Trela provided the big blow with a two-run double down the left field line to give Memphis a 4-0 lead.

Missouri State got a run back in the bottom of the first but other than that the Tigers held the Bears in check until the late innings.

Tigers starting pitcher Drew Crosby tied his career-long outing with six innings pitched, allowing just one run on seven hits with four strikeouts. He walked just one batter and picked up the win to improve his record to 3-0 this season.

Memphis added to the lead with an RBI triple by Trent Turner in the top of the third inning and tacked on an insurance run in the seventh when Colton Neel drove in Turner with an RBI single up the middle to make the score 6-1.

The Tigers defense came up big on several occasions as well. Trela turned a 6-3 double play that ended the fourth inning and Schritenthal caught a liner to turn a double play to end the fifth inning.

The Bears made things interesting by scoring three runs in the eighth inning off of two hits and three walks. The damage came against Jonathan Bowlan and Blake Bennett.

Colton Hathcock came into the game to pitch the ninth inning and Missouri State quickly scored on a walk and a double to cut the Memphis lead to just one run. After back-to-back walks loaded the bases, Hathcock struck out the next two batters and got a fly out to end the game.

Trela and Bowman both had career days at the plate, with Trela posting his first career four-hit day and Bowman tying his career high with three hits. Every member of the Tigers lineup reached base in the game.