April 23, 2008

Box Score

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -

Memphis 17, Middle Tennessee 11 (14)

Memphis (16-25)                203 000 051 000 06 - 17 16 2
Middle Tennessee (21-18-1)     110 020 007 000 00 - 11 16 2

After Middle Tennessee scored seven runs in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings, Neil Schenk held the Blue Raiders scoreless for the next four innings and the offense then struck for six scores in the 14th to pull out a 17-11 victory on Wednesday evening at Reese Smith Field. The win was Memphis's first in Murfreesboro since a 6-2 win in 2003.

Schenk won the pitcher's dual after Middle Tennessee's seven-spot in the ninth forced extra frames. The senior southpaw held the Blue Raiders at bay, allowing just one hit and striking out two from the 10th to 13th innings. After Memphis pulled ahead with the six-run 14th, Garrett Hachtel came on to work the final inning.

The Tigers offense exploded with six runs in the 14th to put the game away. They sent 11 batters to the plate in the final frame. It was freshman Chad Zurcher who got things started, reaching on an infield single and Tyler Huelsing followed with a second straight infield hit. With runners on second and third, Zach Clark, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the ninth, laid down a sacrifice bunt. However, Blue Raiders pitcher Brad Robinson opted for the force out at third. Zurcher slid in safely ahead of the throw to load the bases and Trey Wiedman came through with the eventual game-winning hit--a lined single through the left side that scored Zurcher and Huelsing. Wiedman led the Memphis offense with four RBI. Middle intentionally walked Chris Newsom to keep the double play in order, but Eric Farrell squashed any hopes of the twin-killing when he banged a two-run double to the right centerfield gap to put the Tigers ahead 15-11. The offense was not done as K.K. Chalmers drove home a run on a sacrifice fly and Zurcher came through with his second hit of the inning--an RBI-double down the rightfield line--to make it a 17-11 ballgame. Zurcher led Memphis with four hits in a program-record tying nine at-bats. He also drove in three runs.

Farrell banged out three hits and scored three runs in addition to driving in a couple. Chalmers, Cole Shelton and Robby Graham each had two RBI. Huelsing scored three runs.

Memphis got a strong starting effort from Brennon Martin. The southpaw scattered eight hits and surrendered four runs before handing the ball over the freshman reliever Marcus Barnes. Barnes held MT scoreless for three innings, before running into trouble in the ninth.

The Tigers took an 11-4 lead into the final stanza, but the game was far from over. Barnes retired the leadoff batter, but an infield single and an infield error gave the Blue Raiders some life. Ben Darlington, who had come in as a reserve for the hot-hitting Rawley Bishop made it a four-run game with a three-run shot to left. Bryce Brentz kept the inning going with a double and then moved to third on a balk. He scored on a single to left center and, after pinch hitter Doug Birkofer drew a walk, pinch hitter Justin Jones came up with the biggest clutch hit of the night. Trailing 11-8 with two out, two on and two strikes, Jones drove a towering three-run blast over the leftfield to tie the ballgame and complete what seemed to be an improbable seven-run ninth.