Tigers Split Doubleheader with East Carolina

Saturday, March 28

Memphis, Tenn.

1 PM

University of Memphis

12-15, 1-3

East Carolina

8-26, 0-4

East Carolina

Memphis

Mar 28, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

March 28, 2015

Box Score Game One

Box Score Game Two

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis played the second longest game in school history as they split the doubleheader games with East Carolina in the American Athletic Conference home opener for Memphis at Tiger Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers took the opening game 5-4 in 12 innings, before the Pirates responded with an 8-1 victory in the second game. The UofM moved to 12-16 (1-4 AAC) after the pair of games, while East Carolina is now 9-26 (1-4 AAC)

Cierra Mangum did the walk-off honors for the Tigers with an RBI double, scoring Kyler Trosclair. Senior pitcher Jordan Richwood took care of business in the circle, going a career-high 12 innings and 185 pitches. She struck out 11 batters.

Lindsay Crowdus continued to get on base as she extended her reached-base streak to 20 games, one off of the school-record of 21 that Lelani Bernardino set in the 2013. Behind Crowdus, Hannah Harrell now has a 15-game streak, and Trosclair is up to 12.

Game One - Memphis 5, ECU 4 (12 Innings)

Box Score Game One (PDF)

The opening game took two hours and 26 minutes to complete, just four minutes off of the program record, a 3-2 13-inning victory against Southern Miss. in 2013.

Richwood was once again solid from the circle for the Tigers as she moved to 6-9 on the season with the win. Sarah Christian took the loss and fell to 5-9, despite pitching eight innings with only five hits and three runs surrendered. Caroline Umphlett was the starter for the Pirates and threw 3.1 innings before being pulled and earning a no-decision.

Neither team was able to break through until the fourth inning, when the Pirates took a 4-0 lead. After Richwood struck out the leadoff batter, a walk, single and wild pitch put runners on second and third. That brought up Ali Ramirez, who brought in the game's first run with a sacrifice fly to center. The next batter, Ciara Ervin, cleared the bases with a two-run home run to make it 3-0. Another single was rewarded by an RBI triple before Memphis was able to escape the inning.

The Tigers came roaring back with runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Anna Thomas got things started with a one-out walk. A wild pitch moved her up to second, where Brittany Vaughn brought her in with an RBI double. Haleigh Ross kept the line moving with an RBI double of her own. Ross had two doubles in the game, the first two of her career.

After that run, ECU made the pitching change, bringing in Christian for Umphlett. Meanwhile, Addison Maxwell came in to pinch run at second for Ross.

Hill moved Maxwell over with a single, and then Trosclair walked to load the bases for Harrell. A wild pitch moved everyone up and scored Maxwell to make it 4-3.

The next inning, Mangum and Brignac both grounded out, bringing up Thomas with the bases empty. Thomas drove her second home run of the season over the left field wall to even the game at four. That was the last time either team would score for the next 6 and a half innings.

In the top of the 12th, Richwood allowed one hit, but left her stranded at first. She was one of 10 ECU runners that were left stranded on base in the game, while the Tigers left eight potential runs on the bags.

Trosclair lead things off in the bottom of the inning with a walk. Harrell tried to bunt her over, but ended up popping out to the third baseman. Crowdus, having gone 0-5 to that point, came through when in the big moment with a single to push Trosclair into scoring position. Then Mangum took care of the rest by driving a ball into the gap in right center, allowing Trosclair to easily score the winning run. It was the Tigers third-straight game with a walk-off hit, as both games against Alcorn State ended in walk-off fashion.

Game 2 - Memphis 1, ECU 8

Box Score Game Two (PDF)

Like the first game, it wasn't until the fourth inning that either team scored. Also like the first game, that team was East Carolina. The Pirates dropped another four runs in, the majority coming from a three-run home run from second baseman Andi Johnson.

However, Memphis wouldn't be able to respond in the bottom half of the inning, despite having second and third with only a single out. The Tigers finished the game having left 11 runners on base, while ECU left only four.

Memphis did get a run back in the fifth as Trosclair led off the inning with a double to left field. After a Harrell single, the next two batters went down, leaving it up to Katie Brignac. The freshman came through with an RBI single up the middle as Trosclair just beat the attempted tag from the catcher to make it 4-1.

The Tigers kept ECU at Bay in the fifth and sixth innings, but in the top of the seventh, the Pirates put the game away with four more runs. The first two batters went down easily, but then back to back singles extended the inning for the catcher, Abby Wynne, who tripled off of the center field wall, bringing in both runs. The shortstop Casey Alcorn followed that up with a two-run home run to make it 8-1.

In the bottom of the inning, Crowdus singled to extend her reached-base streak, but that was all the Tigers would muster.

Brignac (3-1) started the game in the circle and took her first collegiate loss. She went 3.2 innings with three hits and was credited with four runs. Molly Smith came in and pitched well in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before East Carolina got to her for the four late runs. As for the Pirates, Ashley Cruise moved to 3-11 with the win. She went the distance and gave up just the one run while striking out six on 136 pitches. Both teams had seven hits against their opponents.

The Tigers and Pirates meet again on Sunday for the deciding game of the three game series. First pitch is set for noon at the Tiger Softball Complex. Follow the Tigers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @MemphisSoftball to stay up-to-date with scores, news and more about the University of Memphis softball team.