May 6, 2011

Box Score

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS, La. - The University of Memphis baseball team dropped the series opener at Tulane on Friday as the Green Wave plated the winning run in the bottom of the 13th inning for a 3-2 victory.

Tulane mounted the game-winning rally with a single by Jeremy Schaffer. Tiger reliever Ben Paullus had retired 13 straight batters before the Schaffer single. Nick Scheenberger doubled to deep right centerfield to drive in Schaffer and give Tulane the 3-2 victory.

Memphis had a scoring chance in the 13th inning after leadoff single by Drew Martinez. A sacrifice bunt by Chad Zurcher moved Martinez to second and the speedy centerfielder would steal third. Martinez was stranded on third after a groundout to first would end the threat.

J.D. Wallace led off the 10th inning for the U of M with a single up the middle. Zach Willis pinch ran and moved to second on a sac bunt. Ethan Gross reached on an infield single to put runners at first and second, but Tulane turned a double play to get out of the inning and keep the score knotted at 2-2.

After Tulane starter Conrad Flynn retired the Tigers in order in each of the first three innings, Martinez led off the fourth inning with a single down the left field line. Zurcher laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner, but a Flynn throw to second sailed and allowed Martinez to advance to third and Zurcher to reach second base. Jacob Wilson would follow with a sac fly to left field that gave the U of M a 1-0 lead.

A lead-off walk to Schneeberger and a passed ball set up the Green Wave with a runner on second and nobody out to start the bottom of the fourth inning. Tiger starter Dan Langfield would strikeout Frank Florio looking for the first out of the inning and a double play would get him out of the inning with no damage done.

Florio hit a two-out double down the right field line in the bottom of the sixth inning to put Langfield in a jam once again. With the runner on second and two outs, Langfield worked out of the jam with a Blake Crohan groundout to third for the third out.

The Tigers added a run in the seventh with a RBI double by Robby Graham. T.J. Rich led off the inning with one of his three walks on the night and would score on the double down the left field line.

Tulane answered Memphis' second tally of the game following a leadoff walk to Bowen Woodson. After a sacrifice bunt advanced Woodson to second, a wild pitch allowed the runner to move to third. Brennan Middleton tripled to center to drive in Woodson from third and pull the Green Wave within one at 2-1. With the runner on third and one out, Langfield induced a pop out for the second out and Brandon Boudreaux singled to right to drive in the tying run.

Langfield pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits and he struck out three. Paullus fanned five in and allowed one run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. Martinez led the Tiger offense with two hits, but Memphis was out-hit in the game 10-6.

Memphis will look to knot the series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. at Turchin Stadium.