Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Memphis
Baseball Outlasts Memphis, 6-4
3/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 20, 2009
MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Senior centerfielder Nate Lape and freshman designated hitter Thor Meeks each clouted solo home runs to help lift the Thundering Herd to a 6-4 victory over Memphis in Friday evening's Conference USA opening baseball game for both squads at USA Stadium.
With the win, Marshall moves to 9-9 overall, 1-0 in C-USA play, while Memphis falls to 8-11 on the season, 0-1 in conference action.
Leading 6-4 in the bottom of the ninth, junior right-hander Austin Coan entered the game to close out the game. The junior college transfer used a pair of groundouts and a deep fly out to center to earn his third save of the season.
Marshall starter Dan Straily scattered just four hits and struck out seven Tigers in a brilliant seven-inning effort that resulted in his second win of the year. The junior right-hander is now 2-0 on the season while Memphis starter Brennon Martin suffered the loss and falls to 2-1 on the season.
Meeks led off the Marshall second with a bomb to straightaway centerfield giving the Herd a 1-0 lead. The blast was Meeks' fifth of the season. Senior left fielder Brandon Casamassima then drew a walk and junior third baseman Josh Valle was hit by a pitch to place two on with no outs. From there, sophomore catcher Kevin Shackelford laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position for sophomore shortstop Kenny Socorro who drilled an RBI single through the right side of the Tiger infield, giving Marshall a 2-0 lead and runners on the corners. A sacrifice fly to left field by senior second baseman Adam Yeager allowed Valle to score the third run of the stanza before a fly out to center ended the inning.
Memphis responded in the bottom of the second frame when Cole Shelton earned a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a one-out groundout to third. An infield single to the right side placed runners on the corners with two outs and a walk, packed the bases, but Straily got out of the jam with an inning-ending fly out to center, silencing the Tiger threat.
The Herd added to its lead in the top of the third when Lape singled through the left side to start the inning, and then stole his way to second. Lape then moved to third on a strikeout before he came full circle on an RBI base hit to left by Meeks extending the Marshall lead to 4-0. From there, Martin used a strikeout and a fly out to retire the next two batters.
The Tigers put a run across in the bottom of the fourth when Shelton reached on an infield throwing error, allowing him to advance to second. A pitch in the dirt allowed him to move up 90 more feet before an RBI groundout sent him home with Memphis' first run of the contest. Straily then hurled a strikeout to get out of the inning with the score 4-1.
Marshall answered in the top of the fourth when Lape sent a bullet down the left field line and out of the ball park, putting the Herd back on top by four at 5-1. Casamassima then laced a two-out single into left field, before he raced to second with a stolen base. The sixth Marshall run of the game crossed when Valle singled into right field. From there, a caught foul ball pop-up ended the inning, but the Herd pushed its cushion to five at 6-1.
The Tigers rallied in the bottom of the sixth frame when Chad Zurcher smacked a leadoff double off the base of the right field wall, and then raced to third on an infield single by Shawn Ablett. A double play sent Zurcher home, cutting the Memphis deficit to 6-2 after six frames.
After holding the Tigers to just two runs, Straily was lifted in favor of sophomore hurler Ian Kadish in the bottom of the eighth inning. Zurcher led off the stanza by getting on via a Marshall error before moving to second on a stolen base. A run-scoring single by Shelton allowed Memphis to cut the gap to 6-3 with just one out in the frame. Shelton then stole second and scampered to third on a throwing error. A sacrifice fly by Brett Bowen brought the fourth run home and moved the score to 6-4 before a caught foul ball ended the rally.
Yeager's two stolen bases Friday, give him 12 for the season and 59 for his career and leave him just one shy of tying the Marshall career-record for swipes.
Marshall and Memphis resume series action Saturday with first-pitch slated for 2:00 p.m. ET. The series finale will take place Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET.
