April 20, 2005

Box Score

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -

MEMPHIS (9-26)            060 10 0 000 -  7  9 2
Middle Tennessee (18-15)  121 1011 200 - 19 16 0

Middle Tennessee smashed six home runs to fuel an 11-run sixth inning and defeat Memphis 19-7 Wednesday evening in non-conference action at Reese Smith Field. The Blue Raiders pounded out a school-record nine round trippers in a 16-hit attack to claim their sixth straight win over the Tigers.

MT took complete control of the game with the record-breaking frame. Nate Jaggers ignited the rally with a two-run blast to right centerfield. Todd Martin followed with a homer to leftcenter to as MT took an 8-7 lead. Alex Watson, Josh Archer and Eric McNamee then combined to hit back-to-back-to-back blasts to give the Blue Raiders a 12-7 cushion. A three-run shot by Nathan Hines capped the inning.

Middle got a two runs in the seventh powered by Tommy Decker's first career home run. Marcus Taylor put the Blue Raiders ahead 19-7 with Marcus Taylor's second home run of the afternoon in the eighth. Taylor finished the day 2-for-5 with a pair of longballs.

After Middle Tennessee plated a run in the first Memphis exploded for six runs in the second. Jordan Tolliver set the two-out rally off with a single through the hole at short and third. John Peterson drew a walk and Patrick Hope produced an RBI-double down the left field line. RBI-singles by Eric Smith and Chris Newsom gave the Tigers a 5-1 lead before Ryan Martin ripped an RBI-triple to the gap in left centerfield to score Chad House.

The Blue Raiders cut the Tiger lead to 6-3 in the third, after Marcus Taylor launched a two-run home run over the right field wall. MT crossed a run in the third and another in the fourth to pull to with two runs at 7-5.

K.K. Chalmers took the loss after giving up seven runs on six hits in two-thirds of an inning. Five of the six hits he gave up were home runs. Jimmy Kelly picked up the win for Middle Tennessee.

Memphis will now prepare for a three-game C-USA set with ECU beginning on Fri., Apr. 22. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. Listen to the live broadcast with the `Voice of Tiger Baseball', Jeff Brightwell on WUMR 91.7 FM.