Baseball Falls at Memphis, 11-5

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis scored nine runs in the first two innings and Lance Scroggins tossed six effective innings, as the Tigers defeated Middle Tennessee, 11-5, Tuesday afternoon at Nat Buring Stadium in the first of three games this week between the two teams.

The homestanding Tigers (7-3) scored four times in the first inning on four hits, but the Blue Raiders struck for two runs in the second to cut the deficit in half. But Memphis added five more runs in its half of the second and never looked back, ending a six-game winning streak in the series for the Blue Raiders (4-4).

Scoggins (1-0) allowed the two runs in the second and then nothing after, giving up seven hits, walking three and striking out three to pick up the victory.

UM's Kyle Norrid and Bill Moss each had three hits for the winners, while Josh Irvin drove in three runs, Norrid scored three times and Moss crossed the plate twice. Tim Senter worked two shutout innings before allowing three runs in the ninth.

Middle Tennessee starter Chad Edwards (0-1) took the loss, giving up eight runs on six hits in 1.2 innings of work. Josh Anderson allowed three runs on five hits in 2.1 innings, while Tommy Sterritt worked three shutout innings and Matt Scott tossed a scoreless eighth.

Todd Martin and Josh Horn each had two hits for the Blue Raiders, with Martin scoring twice and hitting his third home run of the season, a two-run shot in the ninth. Middle Tennessee stranded 10 runners in the contest, including two in the fourth and the bases loaded in the two-run second inning.

The Tigers jumped out early with four runs in the first on four hits and the aid of one error.

Will Petersen led off with a single through the leftside and Moss doubled off the base of the leftfield wall down the line with one out. Norrid then laced single to rightfield, scoring a pair of runs. After an error by Blue Raider shortstop Jeff Beachum put runners and corners, Irvin's double to leftcenter plated two more runs for a 4-0 advantage for the home team.

The Blue Raiders came right back with two runs in the second, starting with a four-pitch leadoff walk to Martin. Grant Nickell slapped a double into leftcenter and Adam Warren's chopper plated Martin. Hesitation by Scoggins covering first base allowed Warren to beat the play at first, putting runners on the corners with no one out.

Rawley Bishop's deep fly ball to centerfield scored Nickell, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Horn's infield single and a walk to Nathan Hines loaded the bases with two outs, but Wayne Kendrick's flyout to rightfield ended the inning.

Memphis added five runs in the second when K.K. Chalmers drew a two-out walk, stole second and scored on a single to left from Moss. A hit batter put two runners on before a see-eyeing single to left from Robbie Goss plated Moss for a 6-2 Tigers lead and chased Edwards from the contest.

Irvin's single to center scored Norris and after another hit batter, Ben Grisham's blooper to right plated two more runs for a 9-2 Tigers edge.

Memphis added two more runs in the fourth when Norrid singled and scored on Michael Murray's two-out double to leftcenter. Grisham followed with an RBI single to left for an 11-2 advantage for the home team.

The Blue Raiders pushed across three runs in the ninth when Beachum walked to leadoff, went to third on a single from Taylor Dennis and scored on Alex Watson's sacrifice fly. Martin then belted his third homer of the season, a shot to leftcenter, for the final 11-5 score.

The two teams play again Wednesday at 4 p.m. and Thursday at 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES
Junior Grant Nickell made his first career start, batting sixth and playing leftfield ... Taylor Dennis collected his first career hit with a single in the ninth ... Matt Scott tossed a shutout eighth inning for the Blue Raiders, his first relief appearance since June 5, 2004, versus Birmingham Southern in the NCAA Athens Regional ... The win for Memphis snaps a six-game Middle Tennessee winning streak in the series. The last UM win came on April 27, 2004, in Memphis.

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