Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Memphis
Baseball Takes A Pair From Memphis In Saturday Doubleheader
3/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 29, 2008
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Senior catcher Tommy Johnson had two hits and two RBIs in game one, and senior left fielder Jeff Rowley notched a pair of RBIs in game two to help lead the Herd to 6-5 and 3-2 victories over Memphis in Saturday afternoon's Conference USA baseball doubleheader at Appalachian Power Park.
With the victories, Marshall improves to 11-12 overall, 2-3 C-USA, while Memphis falls to 11-14 overall and 3-2 in conference action.
Marshall posted a 6-5 victory in game one and a 3-2 victory in game two to improve its winning streak to three games.
Marshall broke a 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two when junior shortstop Adam Yeager earned a free pass, advanced to second on freshman second baseman Kenny Socorro's walk and then scored on a single by sophomore first baseman Josh Valle through the right side. Memphis left-handed reliever Marcus Barnes, who entered the game in the previous inning, got out of the jam down 3-2.
Following a scoreless eighth inning, Herd freshman right-hander Ian Kadish entered the game in the ninth and pitched a one-two-three ninth to pick up his first save of the season.
Barnes records the loss and falls to 1-3 on the season.
Memphis posted a 2-0 lead in the top of the second frame and was held scoreless through the next five innings.
Herd right-handed starter Steve Blevins allowed two runs and scattered seven hits and struck out five in 8.0 innings of work. Blevins picked up his third win of the season and improves to 3-2 on the season.
Marshall tied the game at two in the bottom of the sixth inning when senior left fielder Jeff Rowley blasted a bases loaded two-run double to right field. The Tigers were able to get out of the inning without further damage.
Tied 5-5 in game one, Marshall and Memphis battled into the 10th inning before the Herd plated the game-winning run with the bases loaded on a balk by Tigers' pitcher Matt Yokey giving the Herd a 6-5 win, its 10th of the season.
Freshman right-handed reliever Arik Sikula pitched the final 3.2 innings and allowed just one hit and struck out three batters. He walked five batters but did not let up a run en route to his first collegiate win.
Marshall loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th when Rowley drew a lead-off walk. Freshman Ben Jurevicius came in to pinch run and advanced to second senior designated hitter Matt Helm's bunt single. Junior third baseman Brandon Casamassima moved the runners to second and third on a sacrifice bunt before the Tigers intentionally walked junior shortstop Adam Yeager. Yokey forced a strikeout but then balked in the game-winning run.
Yokey came on in relief of left-hander Neil Schenk who pitched 3.1 innings and took the loss for the Tigers, his first decision of the season.
Memphis got on the board first with a run in the top of the third before the Herd answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth.
The Tigers took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth but could not sustain it, as Marshall jumped ahead with a three-run bottom half of the inning. The Herd loaded the bases and senior catcher Tommy Johnson cleared them with a two-out three-RBI double down the left field line.
Marshall extended its lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth when Yeager, who registered a two-out double, scored on freshman second baseman Kenny Socorro's RBI single to right field. Tigers right-handed starter Scott McGregor left in favor of Yokey, who struck out the next batter to end the Marshall sixth.
Memphis clawed back in the seventh with a pair of runs to even the game at 5-5.
The Herd loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth and had a chance to push the go-ahead run across the board when Helm, who led-off with a single, tried to score on a squeeze play but was tagged out by the third baseman. Casamassima tried to score from second on Socorro's single but was thrown out at home by Tigers' left fielder Tyler Huelsing. Schenk induced an inning-ending groundout to hold Marshall scoreless in the inning. Following a scoreless ninth inning, Memphis placed a runner on second, but could not get any closer, as Sikula picked up his third strikeout of game to end the inning.
Herd junior left-handed starter Andrew Blain pitched the first 5.2 innings and struck out three Tigers in the no-decision.
Marshall and Memphis will play the series finale Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. at Appalachian Power Park. Sophomore right-hander Dan Straily (2-2) will make his fifth start of the season.
