University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
15-19, 5-5
Houston
15-17, 3-4
Defensive Miscues Send Memphis to 10-7 Loss at Houston
Apr 16, 2010 | Baseball
April 16, 2010
HOUSTON -
Memphis (15-19; 5-5 C-USA) 101 500 000 - 7 13 5 East Carolina (15-17; 3-4 C-USA) 300 113 02x - 10 11 2
Five Memphis errors helped Houston score seven unearned runs in a 10-7 loss at Cougar Field on Friday Night. Memphis falls to 15-19 on the year and 5-5 in C-USA play. Houston improves to 15-17, 3-4 in C-USA.
Memphis committed three errors in the first, one in the sixth and another in the eighth. The three first inning mistakes resulted in two unearned scores for Houston as the Cougars took a 3-1 lead.
The Tigers got an RBI from Tyler Huelsing in the second to make it a one-run game.
Memphis exploded for five runs in the fourth to go ahead 7-3. Junior Rick Russell led off the inning with a single to center and he moved to second when Houston centerfielder Joel Ansley mishandled the ball. Russell moved to third on a wild pitch and later scored on a three-run home run off the bat of Phillip Chapman. Chapman's blast was his second of the year and gave Memphis a 5-3 cushion. Huelsing then struck again, this time with a double to the rightfield corner to score Drew Martinez and Chad Zurcher. Huelsing's RBI moved him into a tie for 10th on Memphis' all-time RBI list.
That would be all the offense Memphis could muster for the night as Cougar pitchers Eric Brooks, Chase Dempsay and Matt Creel held the Tigers scoreless for the final five innings. Brooks was the winner after giving up two unearned scores in three innings of relief. Creel earned his fifth save of the year.
Houston got a solo homer by Codey Morehouse in the fourth and M.P. Cokinos added a fifth-inning RBI-single to cut into the Tiger lead, 7-5.
A critical two-out error in the sixth gave way to three unearned runs as Houston regained the lead. Travis Trial launched a flyball to deep right centerfield and Martinez tracked the ball down, but was unable to come up the with the catch. The ball shot toward the rightfield wall and Trial was able to round the bases for the score. Blake Kelso and Zak Presley quickly followed with singles and Ansley drove a two-run triple to left center to give the Cougars a momentum-shifting 8-7 advantage.
Morehouse's two-out single in the eighth gave UH the 10-7 final.
The Tiger offense was solid, banging out 13 hits in the game. Martinez led the club with three hits. Zurcher, Huelsing, Russell and Chapman had two hits each.
Memphis starter Brennon Martin was saddled with the loss. The southpaw gave up eight runs (three earned) on eight hits in 5.2 innings. Jonathan Jones gave up a hit in one batter. Marc Ashley allowed a hit in an inning of relief. Chase Joiner was also affected by the Tigers poor defense as he allowed two unearned runs in 1.1 innings.
The Tigers and Cougars will matchup for game two of the series on Saturday evening. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Cougar Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Brooks (3-2)
L: Martin, Brennon (2-4)
S: Creel (5)
Batting:
2B: Huelsing, Tyler 1 ; Wilson, Jacob 1 ; McClain, Adam 1
HR: Chapman, Phillip 1
RBI: Huelsing, Tyler 4 ; Chapman, Phillip 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Martinez, Drew 3 ; Zurcher, Chad 1 ; Russell, Rick 1 ; Wiedman, Trey 1 ; Chapman, Phillip 1
SB: Martinez, Drew 1
CS: Russell, Rick 1 ; Chapman, Phillip 1
Batting:
2B: Morehouse 1
3B: Ansley 1
HR: Morehouse 1
RBI: Ansley 3 ; Cokinos 2 ; Morehouse 4
SH: Ansley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kelso 3 ; Presley 4 ; Ansley 1 ; Morehouse 1 ; Trial 1
SB: Presley 2 ; Ansley 1
HBP: Presley 1
