Austin Peay 18, Memphis 7
Download Free Acrobat Reader

June 2, 2007

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -

Austin Peay (40-21)     600 361 020 - 18 17 1
Memphis (36-27)         030 400 000 -  7 14 2

Austin Peay opened the contest with a six-run first and then plated six runs in the fifth en route to eliminating Memphis from the NCAA Championships Nashville Regional with an 18-7 decision on Saturday. The Tigers, who posted an improved record for the second straight season finish the year 36-27--the most wins by a Memphis club since 1994.

Memphis trailed 9-3 through three-and-a-half innings before inclement weather forced a three hour, 28 minute rain delay.

A rejuvenated Tiger club came out in the fourth, and highlighted by two-run homer to right off the bat of Adam Amar, cut the deficit to just two runs at 9-7. Memphis was unable to score again.

While three APSU pitchers managed to hold a potent Memphis offense scoreless over the final five innings, the Gov hitters feasted on Tiger pitching. Jeff Lykins recovered from a rough fourth inning to claim the win. He gave up four runs on nine hits in 4.2 innings of relief.

The Governors answered Memphis' four-run fourth with the six-run fifth powered by a two-run shot by Levi Cheshire.

Austin Peay tacked on a run in the sixth and pinch hitter Tyler Bullock launched a two-run blast in the eighth for the 18-7 final.

It was a rough day for Memphis from the first batter of the game. Tiger starter Ben Grisham struggled early and never was able to settle in as APSU touched him up for six runs on five hits in the opening frame. Grisham took the loss to fall to 4-4 on the year.

An RBI-single by Chris Kirkland followed by a two-run double that hit 30 feet high on Hawkins Field's 35-foot leftfield wall, made it a 6-3 ballgame after two innings of play, but the deficit proved to be too much for the Tigers in the end.

Memphis banged out 14 hits in the contest. Amar and Kirkland had three hits each. Murray joined the duo with two RBI. Murray finishes his Tiger career with a 22-game hit streak--just one game shy of the program record of 23 straight games produced by Mark Little in 1994. Amar finished the Nashville Regional 5-for-9 with three homers. He hit 31 round-trippers in his career.

The 18 runs by Austin Peay represents the highest offensive output against Memphis in NCAA Regional competition, topping the 17 runs scored by Minnesota in a 17-4 NCAA West Regional tilt in 1976.

Memphis' 36 wins is four more than the Tigers posted in 2006, marking the second straight season Daron Schoenrock has led the U of M to an improvement in the win column.