Memphis Wins Slugfest, 11-8, at Belmont

Monday, April 6

Nashville, Tenn.

4:00 PM

University of Memphis

20-5

Belmont

16-13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Memphis	4	0	0	0	3	0	3	1	0	11	13	1
Belmont	0	0	0	7	0	0	1	0	0	8	8	1

Apr 06, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

April 6, 2015

Final Stats

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Memphis cranked out 13 hits, including three home runs, as the Tigers outslugged Belmont, 11-8, Monday night at E.S. Rose Park. The Tigers, who picked up their 20th win of the season, will be back at AutoZone Park for the final time this season to host Mississippi State Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

Reliever Blake Drabik logged the longest outing of his Memphis career, 3 1/3 innings, and picked up his first win. He allowed one run on one hit and struck out two batters.

Nolan Blackwood recorded his 11th save in as many appearances with a perfect ninth inning. He is tied for the saves lead nationally.

Memphis put together a big top of the first inning, scoring four runs all with two outs. Third baseman Zach Schritenthal worked a one-out walk and left fielder Kane Barrow followed with a single to left field. Barrow finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored.

After a fly out to right field, the reigning American Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week, Chris Carrier, dropped a double down the right-field line to plate Schritenthal.

Freshman second baseman Brandon Montgomery got the big blast with the first home run of his career. He jumped on the first pitch of the at-bat and lined the three-run shot over the wall in left field. Montgomery finished 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. The four runs driven in were a season-high for the freshman.

After being given a 4-0 lead before ever taking the mound, starting pitcher Matt Ferguson worked himself into and out of jams in the first three innings. In the first inning he walked the first batter he faced but managed to work around it to pitch a scoreless first inning.

Belmont opened the second inning with a single and a hit batter but the Bruins' left fielder Joseph Stovall popped up a bunt on a sacrifice attempt for the first out. Another hit batter by Ferguson loaded the bases with two outs. Ferguson was able to get a big strikeout of Belmont's lead-off hitter Alec Diamond to end the inning.

The Memphis starter hit the first batter and walked the next hitter on four pitches to open the bottom of the third inning. The junior right-hander was able to get a 6-4-3 double play to neutralize the threat and again keep the Bruins off the board.

After threatening in every inning, Belmont broke out in a big way in the fourth inning. Ferguson retired the lead-off man for the first time but allowed a single and a walk that ended his day. Head coach Daron Schoenrock turned to reliever Drew Crosby with one out in the fourth.

Crosby got the first out on a fly ball to right field but a single up the middle by Diamond got Belmont on the board. After a walk loaded the bases, first baseman Matt Beaty cleared them with a double to tie the game.

Kellon Hibbard was called on out of the bullpen and allowed another double that gave Belmont the lead. He walked the next batter and gave up a line drive to left field that was misplayed allowing two more runs to score.

The Tigers called on their fourth pitcher of the inning and Drabik was able to get out of it with a ground out.

Memphis immediately got the runs back in the top of the fifth inning. Kane Barrow and Tucker Tubbs hit back-to-back home runs to tie the game 7-7. Barrow's was a two-run shot after Schritenthal was hit by a pitch ahead of him.

The Tigers scored three more runs in the top of the seventh to retake the lead. Barrow walked with one out to chase the starter Patrick McGrath from the game. Tucker Tubbs greeted reliever Josh Tubbs with a lined single to left field.

A wild pitch moved both runners over before an RBI ground out by Carrier gave Memphis the lead. Montgomery singled for his third hit of the game to drive in Tucker Tubbs and catcher Corey Chafin reached on a throwing error to score Montgomery to make the score 10-7.

Belmont got a run back on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh. On the play Darien Tubbs made an amazing catch diving towards the outfield wall near the warning track. The Tigers turned a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Memphis answered back in the top of the eighth as Barrow doubled to score Overbey from first base to make the score 11-8.

Craig Caufield pitched a scoreless eighth inning for Memph