Tigers fall in extra innings

Friday, March 1

Memphis, Tenn.

4 p.m.

University of Memphis

2-6

Middle Tennessee

5-4

Middle Tennessee

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Mar 01, 2019 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis began its series against Middle Tennessee with a tough 2-1 extra-inning setback Friday night at FedExPark.

After a five-inning pitcher's duel, the visiting Blue Raiders (5-4) plated the game's first run. Memphis (2-6) responded with a run of its own in the seventh, but a pair of doubles for Middle Tennessee in the top of the 10^th inning proved the be the difference in the run column.

"We had some moments but couldn't put anything together in the first five innings," Head Coach Daron Schoenrock said of the early stalemate. "You've got to credit Middle Tennessee's pitching. They kept us off stride all night."

After just three combined hits by both sides through the first five frames, the Blue Raiders plated the game's first run in the sixth on an RBI single by Aaron Antonini.

Memphis evened the game in the seventh inning when Colton Neel drove a one-out double down the left field line, and Jason Santana followed with an RBI single. The Tigers kept the pressure on when Payton Marshall reached on a pinch-hit single and Ben Brooks drew a walk, but a groundout ended the threat.

Making his third start of the season, Alex Hicks scattered five hits over seven innings and tied a season high with eight strikeouts. Landon Kelly, who tallied three strikeouts in three innings of work, was tagged with the loss.

"(Hicks) has had some really good starts, and that's encouraging. He handled tonight very well," Schoenrock said. "We have the two lefties going tomorrow (Hunter Smith and Chris Durham). I told the team, 'We've got to keep pitching and playing defense until somebody gets going offensively and helps us out. Learning how to grab those moments – that's what we are having a hard time doing."

The Tigers return to FedExPark for a doubleheader on Saturday, their third twin bill of the season. First pitch for Game 1 is set for 1 p.m. with Game 2 to follow approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.