Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short at Arkansas State

Tuesday, May 10

Jonesboro, Ark.

6:30 PM

University of Memphis

16-33

Arkansas State

22-25

Memphis

Arkansas State

Photo by: Joe Murphy

May 10, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

JONESBORO, Ark. – Memphis scored two runs in the ninth but couldn't complete the rally as the Tigers lost 4-3 to Arkansas State Tuesday night at Tomlinson Stadium.

Memphis (16-33, 7-11 American) will head to New Orleans, La. this weekend for a three-game series against league-leading Tulane.

Jacob Elliott drove in the first run of the game with a two-out single to right field to score Darien Tubbs from second base in the top of the first inning. The 1-0 lead for Memphis would be its only lead of the game.

The Tigers' sophomore first baseman finished 1-for-3 with a walk and one RBI. Trent Turner had the Tigers' only multiple-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a double. Zach Schritenthal went 1-for-5 with a two-run single in the ninth inning.

Hunter Smith had a shaky beginning to his first career start on the mound, walking the first two batters of the game. The freshman got some help though as he got a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play. Jacob Elliott made a running catch in foul territory to end the inning without any runs coming home in the first.

Arkansas State though came right out in the bottom of the second and took a 2-0 lead on a pair of squeeze bunts.

The Red Wolves added to the lead in third inning and in the process ended Smith's day on the mound. A single, a wild pitch and a double made the score 3-1 before Memphis called on Bryan Cruse out of the bullpen.

Cruse allowed just one more run to cross the plate in the inning on a wild pitch to make the score 4-1. The redshirt freshman then pitched a scoreless fourth inning with two strikeouts.

Arkansas State got two runners on with two outs in the fifth and Memphis turned to Trey McNickle to get out of the jam and the senior right-hander did just that, keeping the score 4-1.

McNickle retired the first two batters of the sixth before allowing a double. The Tigers then turned to Drew Crosby who got a groundout to end the inning.

Nolan Blackwood was called on with two runners on and two outs in the seventh inning and the junior got a strikeout to end the inning. Blackwood followed it up with a scoreless eighth inning.

Memphis scored two in the ninth inning after Turner started the inning with a double and Chris Carrier reached on an error before Schritenthal singled to drive them in with two outs.