Murray State
Memphis
'Breds Overcome 10-0 Deficit To Win 14-12
4/10/2007 5:00:00 AM | Baseball
OK, name this baseball movie. The good guys are playing a nationally-ranked team and give up 10 runs in the first inning. Undaunted, the team keeps its collective head up, inching closer and closer. Trailing 12-8 after five innings, the team brings in a pitcher who hasn't thrown in more than a month and calls on him to hold the other team in check to allow his team to complete the comeback. The pitcher comes through, and so do his teammates, outscoring the ranked team 6-0 over the last three innings to win 14-12.
A hokey premise for a movie, but Hollywood didn't write this script. Murray State pulled it off against No. 39 Memphis on Tuesday at MSU's Reagan Field. The teams will face each other again in Memphis on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
The Thoroughbreds (8-21) gave up 10 runs before they had a turn at bat, but were able to get some of those runs back in the bottom of the first inning. Senior second baseman Seth Hudson hit a one-out single, then senior first baseman James Akin singled him to second. Senior catcher Jason Payton then doubled in Hudson and Akin to put MSU on the board 10-2 after one inning.
Murray State then put together a big inning of its own in the third. Payton hit a one-out solo home run followed by a walk to senior center fielder Tyler Pittman. Sophomore third baseman Tyler Owen then doubled Pittman to third, and senior right fielder Jamie Leidolf doubled in Pittman and Owen to cut the deficit to 10-5. Sophomore shortstop Justin Yount hit a two-out single, scoring Leidolf, then stole second base. Senior left fielder Austin Swain then singled to score Yount, then stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Hudson singled him in to cap a six-run inning and pull the 'Breds to within 10-8.
The Tigers (19-13) scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 12-8 lead, and sophomore left-hander Anthony Stacy was called in to pitch in the sixth inning in relief of freshman righty Brad Rowland. Stacy's most recent outing was on March 7 against Southern Illinois. Stacy allowed no runs over three innings, giving up only two hits and walking three.
That allowed the 'Breds to complete the comeback in the seventh inning. Leidolf led off the inning with a single, but was caught trying to stretch it into a double. Freshman designated hitter Chad Allen then hit a single, and Yount legged out a bunt single, moving Allen to second. Swain hit a double, scoring Allen, then Hudson singled in Yount and Swain to pull MSU to within 12-11. Hudson took second on a wild pitch, and Akin drew a walk. Pittman was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs, and Owen singled up the middle to plate Hudson and Akin to put Murray State ahead 13-12.
In the eighth inning, MSU tacked on an insurance run when Yount hit a two-out single and Swain singled him to second. Hudson singled in Yount to cap the scoring at 14-12.
In the bottom of the ninth, however, Memphis was ready to make a comeback of its own. Pinch-hitter Bill Moss led off with a walk and was lifted for pinch-runner Zach Clark. K.K. Chalmers also drew a walk, and junior right-hander Mike Perconte came on in relief of Stacy. The Tigers' Michael Murray sacrificed the runners to second and third, and Will Petersen walked to load the bases with only one out. Joey Lieberman then laced a sharply hit ball down the line to third base. Owen grabbed the ball, stepped on third and threw a shot to Akin at first to complete the double play and seal the win.
"I am really proud of our guys," said MSU head coach Rob McDonald. "They continue to compete and battle. Today, they kept plugging away; there was no point in this game where they quit or hung their heads. This was just a great win."
Murray State slapped a season-high 20 hits in the game, including five doubles and a home run.
"Our offense has consistently been on an upswing for a while," McDonald said. "It may not be a constant thing, but it is a trend, that our team has been hitting well for a while now."
Murray State was led by Hudson, who went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and four runs batted in, and Swain, who also went 4-for-5 with a double, two runs and two RBIs. Owen went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a run and two RBIs, while Yount went 3-for-5 with three runs and an RBI. Payton went 2-for-5 with a home run, a double, a run and three RBIs, while Leidolf went 2-for-5 with a double, a run and two RBIs. Akin scored twice for the 'Breds. Defensively, Akin had nine putouts, while Yount had three assists.
For Memphis, Kyle Norrid went 3-for-5 with a home run, a run scored and four RBIs, while Chalmers went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, two runs and three RBIs. Eric Farrell also went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs. Murray had a double, two runs and two RBIs for the Tigers, while Alex Fennell scored twice. Defensively, first baseman Adam Amar had 14 putouts, while second baseman Farrell had five assists.
On the mound, Stacy (1-0) got the win for Murray State, allowing no runs on two hits and walking three in three-plus innings. Perconte got his first save of the season, allowing no hits and walking one in the ninth inning. Rowland also pitched well in relief, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out five and walking two in 4-2/3 innings. Freshman lefty Bryan Baldini started for MSU, allowing 10 runs (eight earned) on six hits, walking three in one-third of an inning.
For Memphis, Chris South (0-1) took the loss in relief, allowing one run on no hits and walking one in one-third inning of work in the seventh inning. Dylan Cupples started for the Tigers, allowing eight runs on nine hits, striking out two and walking two in 2-2/3 innings. Brennon Martin came on in the third, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking two in 3-2/3 innings. Matt Yokley closed the game for Memphis, allowing one run on four hits, striking out one in 1-1/3 innings.
