Friday, March 8
Bowling Green, Ky.
3 p.m.
University of Memphis
6-7
12
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4
Western Kentucky
6-7
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9
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Memphis
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0
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12
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WKU
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12
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Photo by: Steve Roberts, WKU Athletics
Tigers claim series behind offensive eruption
Mar 08, 2019 | Baseball
Smith fans career-high nine
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Another offensive surge Friday evening propelled Memphis baseball to claim its second consecutive series behind a 12-4 win at WKU's Nick Denes Field.
The Tigers (6-7) plated eight runs in the final two innings, including six RBI by junior Nick Vaage. A five-run eighth inning, capped by a grand slam by Vaage, helped Memphis pull away late. On the hill, senior Hunter Smith tallied his second win of the season behind a career-high nine strikeouts.
"Our approach to the middle of the field has been better these last two games. We took advantage of some free bases they gave us, and that's what you have to do to win games," Head Coach Daron Schoenrock said. "The hits were basically even. We didn't give away anything from the mound. We forced their offense to swing, and when you do that, you have a chance to win every day."
Holding a one-run lead heading to the eighth inning, the Tigers plated an insurance run before Vaage stepped into the box with the bases loaded. The Savage, Minn., native previously drew two walks and was hit by a pitch, but on a 1-1 offering in his fourth plate appearance, the junior sailed a shot into the visiting bullpen for his first home run of the season.
Vaage finished the day 2-for-2 with six RBI and three runs scored.
"I was looking fastball, hopefully something in the middle of the zone. He gave me something middle-in, and I made sure I didn't miss it," Vaage said of his approach. "At the time, it was a two-run ball game, so I was trying to help the team win. If they don't give me anything to hit, I'll take the walk. If they give me a good pitch, don't miss it."
The Tigers drew nine walks throughout the game. Five Tigers enjoyed multi-hit efforts. Keith Stepter turned in a game-high three base hits. Vaage, Hunter Goodman, Colton Neel and Alec Trela also each had a pair of hits.
The two sides traded runs in the first inning. Memphis then grabbed its second lead of the day in the second when Payton Marshall drove in Vaage with a double.
Memphis added to its lead in the fourth when Cale Hennemann picked up his fourth RBI of the weekend via a sacrifice fly. Kyle Ouellette then came off the bench in the fifth to deliver a pinch-hit RBI single to drive the Tigers' lead to 4-1.
WKU struck for two runs in the fifth before the Tigers' big inning in the eighth put the contest out of reach.
On the mound, Smith registered his second quality start this season, surrendering only three runs across six innings and adding nine strikeouts. In a one-run game, the Tigers turned to Walker Brockhouse out of the bullpen. The sophomore threw two innings and collected five strikeouts before Takoda Metoxen closed the door in the ninth.
"That was big for Brockhouse. His stuff plays very well. It's just a matter of building some confidence," Schoenrock added. "It's a work in progress, but he has an electric arm. He enters a one-run game, and it could go either way, but he established who he was in that inning and allowed our big inning to unfold."
With inclement weather projected in the Bowling Green area on Saturday, the final game of the series is anticipated for Sunday with a start time TBA.
The Tigers (6-7) plated eight runs in the final two innings, including six RBI by junior Nick Vaage. A five-run eighth inning, capped by a grand slam by Vaage, helped Memphis pull away late. On the hill, senior Hunter Smith tallied his second win of the season behind a career-high nine strikeouts.
"Our approach to the middle of the field has been better these last two games. We took advantage of some free bases they gave us, and that's what you have to do to win games," Head Coach Daron Schoenrock said. "The hits were basically even. We didn't give away anything from the mound. We forced their offense to swing, and when you do that, you have a chance to win every day."
Holding a one-run lead heading to the eighth inning, the Tigers plated an insurance run before Vaage stepped into the box with the bases loaded. The Savage, Minn., native previously drew two walks and was hit by a pitch, but on a 1-1 offering in his fourth plate appearance, the junior sailed a shot into the visiting bullpen for his first home run of the season.
Vaage finished the day 2-for-2 with six RBI and three runs scored.
"I was looking fastball, hopefully something in the middle of the zone. He gave me something middle-in, and I made sure I didn't miss it," Vaage said of his approach. "At the time, it was a two-run ball game, so I was trying to help the team win. If they don't give me anything to hit, I'll take the walk. If they give me a good pitch, don't miss it."
The Tigers drew nine walks throughout the game. Five Tigers enjoyed multi-hit efforts. Keith Stepter turned in a game-high three base hits. Vaage, Hunter Goodman, Colton Neel and Alec Trela also each had a pair of hits.
The two sides traded runs in the first inning. Memphis then grabbed its second lead of the day in the second when Payton Marshall drove in Vaage with a double.
Memphis added to its lead in the fourth when Cale Hennemann picked up his fourth RBI of the weekend via a sacrifice fly. Kyle Ouellette then came off the bench in the fifth to deliver a pinch-hit RBI single to drive the Tigers' lead to 4-1.
WKU struck for two runs in the fifth before the Tigers' big inning in the eighth put the contest out of reach.
On the mound, Smith registered his second quality start this season, surrendering only three runs across six innings and adding nine strikeouts. In a one-run game, the Tigers turned to Walker Brockhouse out of the bullpen. The sophomore threw two innings and collected five strikeouts before Takoda Metoxen closed the door in the ninth.
"That was big for Brockhouse. His stuff plays very well. It's just a matter of building some confidence," Schoenrock added. "It's a work in progress, but he has an electric arm. He enters a one-run game, and it could go either way, but he established who he was in that inning and allowed our big inning to unfold."
With inclement weather projected in the Bowling Green area on Saturday, the final game of the series is anticipated for Sunday with a start time TBA.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Smith, Hunter (2-1)
L: Crosby, H. (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Goodman, Hunter 1 ; Marshall, Payton 1 ; Trela, Alec 2
HR: Vaage, Nick 1
RBI: Brooks, Ben 1 ; Vaage, Nick 6 ; Marshall, Payton 1 ; Ouellette, Kyle 1 ; Neel, Colton 1 ; Trela, Alec 1 ; Hennemann, Cale 1
SF: Hennemann, Cale 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brooks, Ben 2 ; Vaage, Nick 3 ; Neel, Colton 2 ; Trela, Alec 2 ; Stepter, Keith 2 ; Hennemann, Cale 1
SB: Neel, Colton 1
HBP: Vaage, Nick 1 ; Trela, Alec 1 ; Hennemann, Cale 1
PO: Stepter, Keith 1
Batting:
2B: Swiney, J. 1 ; Sims, D. 1
HR: Sanford, J. 1 ; Nelson, D. 1
RBI: Sanford, J. 1 ; Nelson, D. 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Swiney, J. 1 ; Sanford, J. 1 ; Nelson, D. 1 ; McElreath 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
2
R
3
H
2
RBI
6
AB
6
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
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INF
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OF
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RHP
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OF/LHP
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1B
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LHP
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OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
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