Goodman’s 10th inning home run highlights 8-7 walk-off win

Sunday, March 21

Memphis, Tenn.

12 p.m.

University of Memphis

9-8

Middle Tennessee

11-8

Middle Tennessee St.

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Goodman’s 10th inning home run highlights 8-7 walk-off win

Mar 21, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Nine innings weren't enough for the Memphis Tigers and Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders in Sunday's series finale, as Memphis picked up an 8-7 win on a walk-off sacrifice fly from Ian Bibiloni in the 11^th inning.

In the final of four games over the weekend between the two schools, the Tigers (9-8) got out to an early 2-0 lead on a second inning home run from Taylor Howell, his third home run of the season. That lead held through five innings, as Landon Kelly (ND) allowed just one run on five hits over 4.1 innings in the start for the Tigers.

The Blue Raiders picked up a single run in both the fifth and sixth frames, as Fausto Lopez ended Kelly's afternoon with a fifth inning RBI single. Kelly departed for Walker Brockhouse, who stranded two men in scoring position in the fifth, but then gave up a game-tying, one-out home run to Jake Hagenow in the sixth. The game was tied 2-2 after six innings.

Trent Siebert (ND) allowed just two runs on seven hits over seven innings for the Blue Raiders but departed in a tie game in search of his second win of the season. After Siebert posted a scoreless seventh inning, the Blue Raiders tacked on a pair of runs in the eighth. Brockhouse walked the first two batters of the inning and departed for Takoda Metoxen. DJ Wright reached on an error, which loaded the bases with no outs for Bryce Symlar. The Blue Raiders went ahead 4-2 on a two-run single from Symlar, though Metoxen struck out the next three batters and limited the damage. Middle Tennessee State led 4-2 after 7.5 innings.

Memphis went in order in the eighth but got to Adam Link in the ninth. Down to their final three outs, the Tigers loaded the bases with no outs on singles from Alec Trela and Howell and a HBP drawn by Ben Brooks. Link departed for David Zoz, who got Bibiloni to roll into a run-scoring double play. Down to their final out, the Tigers got a two-out, game-tying RBI single from Braden Webb. Memphis left the winning run at third base but sent the game to extra innings tied 4-4.

Bailey Wimberley (1-0) entered to pitch for Memphis to start the 10^th. With the free baserunner at second base to start the inning, Wimberley hit Hagenow. After a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, Wimberley had two strikes on Brett Coker and was one pitch away from a scoreless frame. On a 1-2 pitch, Coker hit a three-run home run to left-centerfield that gave the Blue Raiders a 10-7 lead.

Once again down to their final three outs, the Tigers rallied, this time against Jaden Hamm (L, 1-1). Max Hildreth started the inning as the free baserunner at second base while Evan Bell drew a one-out four-pitch walk. The Blue Raiders kept Zoz in the game to face Hunter Goodman, and the All-American jumped on a first pitch fastball from the southpaw. Goodman hit the scoreboard with a game-tying three-run opposite-field blast, his sixth home run of the season.

After Wimberley worked around a HBP and stranded two men in scoring position in the 11^th, Memphis played small ball to walk-off with the win. Sterling Turmon pinch ran as the free baserunner at second base and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Brooks. With the infield and outfield drawn in, Bibiloni lofted a fly ball deep to right field for a walk-off sacrifice fly that plated Turmon and secured Memphis' 8-7 win. The Tigers won three of four games in the series, each by one run.

Memphis will turn its attention back to SEC opposition with two games at No. 1 Arkansas Tuesday and Wednesday. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively. The Tigers will return home next weekend and close out non-conference play with three games March 26-28 against Murray State.