Murray State
Memphis
'Breds face tough pitching, fall 7-1
3/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Murray State Thoroughbreds scored first, but met a buzzsaw in Memphis pitcher Jarrett Grube, as MSU was held hitless over the last seven innings, falling in its home-opener 7-1.
The teams will meet tomorrow (Sunday) in a double-header at noon at Reagan Field.
Murray State (1-6) scored in the bottom of the first inning when left fielder Clint Griggs led off with a single, then advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Griggs scored on a fielder's choice, and MSU led 1-0.
Memphis (4-2) countered in the top of the second when Adam Amar hit a two-out solo home run to tie the game at 1-1.
The Tigers scored three more in the fourth inning off of a three-run shot by Michael Lewis, then plated another run in the fifth and two in the eighth.
Griggs' first-inning single and right fielder Scotty Scott's second-inning single were Murray State's only hits of the game, as Memphis pitchers retired the last 22 batters.
Junior right-hander Craig Kraus (0-1) took the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits, striking out six and walking two in six innings. Freshman lefty Tyler Pittman, who started in center field, came on in the seventh, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out one and walking one in three innings.
Grube (3-0) allowed one hit, striking out six and walking none in six innings. Josh Payne started the game for UM, allowing one unearned run on one hit, striking out three and walking one in one inning. Nick Bradshaw closed out the game for Memphis, allowing no runs on no hits, striking out two in two innings.
Kurt Welch went 3-for-5 for Memphis with a double. Amar went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and two runs batted in, while Payne and Jordan Hart each had two hits, with Hart getting a double. Brent Dlugach scored twice for the Tigers, while Lewis had three RBIs.
"(Memphis) has some really good pitching," said MSU head coach Rob McDonald. "The way we've got to look at it is it's got to make us better. We are seeing some outstanding college pitching, which will allow us the opportunity to get better, but we've got to be mentally tough enough to do that."
