UCF Uses Longball to Down Memphis, 11-8

Friday, April 30

Orlando, Fla.

5:30 PM

University of Memphis

20-22, 8-8

UCF

27-17, 7-9

Memphis

UCF

Apr 30, 2010 | Baseball

Box Score

April 30, 2010

Box Score

UCF 11, Memphis 8

ORLANDO -

Memphis (20-22; 8-8 C-USA)     033 011 000 -  8 13 1
UCF (27-17; 7-9 C-USA)         000 062 12x - 11 12 3

Memphis took a seven-run lead into the bottom of the fifth inning, but UCF used the longball to rally for 11 runs in the fifth through eighth innings to claim an 11-8 come-from-behind win over the Tigers in Friday night's series-opener at Jay Bergman Field. The loss evens Memphis' league series at 8-8, while dropping the club to 20-22 overall. UCF improves to 27-17, 7-9 in league play.

Pitching with a 7-0 cushion in the home half of the fifth, Memphis starter Brennon Martin ran into control problems, issuing a leadoff walk to Austin Johnson, before giving up a flared single to Shane Brown and walking Darnell Sweeney. Ronnie Richardson pulled the momentum into the Knights dugout with a grand slam over the left centerfield wall. Chris Duffy, C-USA's home run king, made it back-to-back homers with a lined shot over the leftfield wall to make it 7-5 in the Tiger's favor.

Memphis answered with a home run of its own off the bat of Jacob Wilson, but UCF came back to knot the game at 8-8 on an RBI-double by Ryan Breen and a balk by Tiger reliever Dane Sharp.

The Knights grabbed the lead in the seventh on a solo homer to right by Chris Taladay, and went ahead 11-8 on a two-run blast to center by Beau Taylor in the eighth.

The Tigers got the majority of its offensive production in the first second and third innings as they cruised to a 6-0 lead. Memphis broke a scoreless tie in the second after Phillip Chapman and Adam McClain reached on consecutive one-out singles. Drew Martinez got the Tigers on the board with an RBI-single. After Chad Zurcher was plunked by UCF starter Owen Dew, Tyler Huelsing came through with a two-run single to give the U of M a 3-0 lead.

Rick Russell's leadoff double set off a second-straight three-run frame. After Russell's double, Chapman followed with a single and McClain gave the Tigers a four-run cushion with an RBI groundout. Robby Graham then reached on a sac bunt and scored Chapman to make it 5-0. Martinez added an RBI-groundout and Zurcher struck for a run-scoring double.

Reliever Dane Sharp was tagged with the loss for Memphis. The big right-hander gave up four runs on four hits in 2.1 innings. UCF's Matt Manning picked up the win after fanning three in a scoreless inning of relief. Closer Joe Rogers finished the final 1.1 innings of the game.

Memphis out-hit UCF 14-12, but stranded 14 baserunners, including leaving the bases loaded twice. Zurcher led the offensive with three hits, while McClain and Chapman both had two hits. Martinez drove in three runs. Huelsing added two RBI to increase his career RBI total to 125--good for ninth on Memphis' all-time RBI ledger. His 58 RBI is ninth on the Tiger's single-season list.

Memphis will look to even the series on Sat., May 1, when its takes on the Knights in game two of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST.