May 4, 2008

Box Score

HOUSTON -

Houston 5, Memphis 4

Memphis (16-31, 4-13 C-USA)     200 002 000 - 4 10 5
Houston (30-18, 11-7 C-USA)     000 120 02x - 5  4 0

Memphis pitchers held Houston to just four hits, while its offense banged out 10. However, five errors and a pair of eighth-inning wild pitches allowed the Cougars to claw past the Tigers, 5-4, in Sunday's series finale at Cougar Field. Memphis has now been swept in three consecutive weekend series.

The Tigers carried a 4-3 lead into the bottom the eighth inning, but were unable to hold on to the lead as Jake Stewart started a two-run rally with a single to shallow right centerfield. A sacrifice bunt by Bryan Pounds moved him over to second and Memphis elected to walk Jimmy Cesario to keep the double play in order. Memphis closer Matt Yokley induced a fielder's choice out by Ryan Lormand, but then unleashed a pair of sliders that both skipped away from catcher Chris Kirkland. Stewart scored the game-tying run on the first, and Lormand came in with the game-winner on the second.

It did not take Memphis long to break through the scoring column, as the Tiger offense jumped on Cougars starter Bryan Tully for two quick scores in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Chad Zurcher got the inning started with a single to left. He moved to second on a groundball out. After Brett Bowen drew a one-out walk, he and Zurcher successfully completed the double steal to give the Tigers runners on second and third with one out for the team's RBI-leader, Trey Wiedman. The Houston High product quickly put Memphis on top 2-0 when he drove in both runners with a double to the gap in left centerfield.

Houston cut the Memphis lead in half in the fourth, without the aid of a hit. Lormand did all the work by himself, working a two-out walk before being awarded second base on a balk. He then stole third and came home when U of M catcher Dan Kaufmann's throw to third skipped away from Bowen.

Cougar first baseman Chris Wallace broke up Brach Davis's no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the fifth. He was able to advance to second when Tiger rightfielder Trey Wiedman was unable to handle the ball. Zak Presley then bounced a slow hopper to first and Cole Shelton fielded the ball and made a throw to third in an attempt to throw Wallace out. However, Bowen could not pull in the throw and the ball skipped away, allowing Wallace to score the game-tying run. The Cougars were not done as Presley advanced to third on a pair of outs and then put UH on to 3-2 on a straight steal of home plate.

With the momentum in the Houston dugout, Memphis quickly put up a two-run answerback inning to regain the lead. For the third time in the game, Wiedman and Newsom knocked consecutive base hits. Wiedman singled to right and Newsom singled through the left side. Chase Sain moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Kaufmann knotted the contest at 3-3 when he lined a single into rightfield to score Wiedman, and Cole Shelton lifted a sacrifice fly to center to bring Newsom in for a 4-3 Tiger advantage. Brach Davis was strong in 4.2 innings of work. He held Houston hitless for four innings and struck out six. Marc Ashley was tagged with the loss after giving up two runs--one earned--on two hits in 2.2 innings.

UH closer Chase Dempsey benefitted from the late rally to claim the win.

Memphis hits the field next on Tuesday, May 6, when they host Vanderbilt at Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.