Memphis Survives with 14-9 Win over Cincinnati

Thursday, May 21

Clearwater, Fla.

6 pm CT

University of Memphis

36-20

Cincinnati

15-41

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Memphis	5	1	0	0	3	4	1	0	0	14	12	0
Cincinnati	5	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	0	9	15	2

zach schritenthal, team, group, celebration

Photo by: Ben Solomon

May 20, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

The Tigers return to action Friday at 10:00 a.m. (CT)

By: Kevin Rodriguez

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The Memphis Tigers staved off elimination with a 14-9 win over Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference Tournament Wednesday at Bright House Field. The Tigers will get Thursday off before returning to action against either No. 1 Houston or No. 4 USF Friday at 10:00 a.m. (CT).

The Tigers (36-20) were facing a team that had seemingly had their number throughout the season, beating them four out of six times in 2015. Memphis had Cincinnati's number in this night scoring five runs in the first and then scoring again in four other innings.

The two teams combined for 10 runs in the first inning, as each team put up a five-spot in the opening frame. Memphis retook the lead with one run in the second and led the rest of the way.

Matt Fergson was called on to pitch in relief to start the second inning. He kept the Bearcats off he board in the second, third and fourth innings. The junior right-hander got into a little trouble in the fifth inning and was pulled after pitching 3 1/3 innings.

He got the win and moved to 2-0 this season. He allowed just one run on three hits.

Brandon Montgomery had a big night at the plate, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Darien Tubbs had three hits and four stolen bases in the game.

Memphis jumped all over the Cincinnati starter, Ryan Atkinson, plating the five runs on four hits and an error in the top of the first.

Darien Tubbs singled and stole second base to start the game and he got caught in a rundown after Zach Schritenthal chopped one back to the mound. Atkinson threw the ball away though, allowing Tubbs to score the opening run.

Tucker Tubbs singled to put two runners on and Carter White ripped a two-run double down the left-field line.

Brandon Montgomery capped off the inning with a two-run homer to left field. The homer, which ended Atkinson's day, was Montgomery's first since April 11 on the road against Cincinnati.

Cincinnati countered by tagging Caleb Wallingford for five runs in the first inning to tie the game, 5-5, through one inning. Just as the Tigers did, the Bearcats capped the inning with a two-run homer. Devin Wenzel did the damage with his fifth home run of the season.

Tucker Tubbs gave the Tigers the lead right back in the second inning with a two-out RBI single to right field to score Jake Overbey who walked.

The Tigers provided a little breathing room in the top of the fifth inning. White, Kane Barrow and Montgomery all reached to load the bases with one out.

Nate Rupiper drove in the first run with a suicide squeeze bunt to score White from third. Jake Little then provided a two-run single into right-center field to make the score, 9-5.

Blake Myers was called on to get out of the sixth inning and he was able to with a pair of strikeouts. The senior lefty pitched 2 2/3 innings and allowed one run on three hits. He struck out five batters.

Memphis really gave themselves some cushion with four more runs in the top of the sixth. The Tigers were able to load the bases with one out in the inning and Barrow worked a bases-loaded walk to drive in the first run of the inning.

Montgomery delivered a two-run double to left field and Rupiper plated another with a sacrifice fly.

Cincinnati would again get a run back as they got two hits to put runners on the corners with nobody out. The run came home on a squeeze bunt but Tucker Tubbs made a great play to get the first out of the inning. Myers worked out of the inning without any more damage.

Memphis tacked on one more run in the seventh and Cincinnati scored two more runs in the eighth. Trey McNickle worked 2/3 of an inning and Nolan Blackwood pitched the final 1 1/3 innings of the game.