CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Memphis (15-17, 5-4) had six extra-base hits and complete the sweep of Marshall (11-19, 1-5) with a 11-2 victory on Sunday at Appalachian Power Park.
Marshall grabbed its first lead of the series with a sacrifice fly by Thor Meeks in the second inning. Alfredo Brito started the inning with a single to left and Gray Stafford hit a one-out ground-rule double to right-centerfield. Stafford was originally awarded a double and Brito score, but a conference by the umpires determined the ground-rule double. One batter later, Meeks hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate the run, but Marshall stranded a runner on third to end the second.
The Tigers stranded two runners in scoring position in the first two innings, but a two-out RBI single by Adam McClain knotted the score at 1-1 in the third. Keaton Aldridge was hit by a pitch to start the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. McClain blooped a single to left-centerfield to plate the tying run and second hit batter of the inning followed by a walk loaded the bases, but the Tigers couldn’t produce a big inning.
Memphis gained a 2-1 lead in the fourth with an RBI triple by Ethan Gross. Ford Wilson walked with one out in the inning and moved to second on a groundout by Aldridge. Gross delivered the second two-out RBI with the triple to right to give Memphis the lead.
A four-run fifth extended the Tigers lead to 6-1 when as Memphis had three hits and benefited from two Marshall errors in the frame. T.J. Rich singled and Jacob Wilson followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Eli Hynes drove in the two runs with a single through the right side and later scored following a passed ball and errant throw to third.
After Marshall scored a run in the bottom of the fifth, Zach Willis tripled off the right field wall and scored on a sacrifice fly by McClain. In the seventh, Hynes blasted a solo homer to right field and the Tigers took an 8-2 lead. A failed pickoff attempt and errant throw allowed Derrick Thomas to score and make the score 9-2.
Memphis added two runs in the ninth to set the final score at 11-2. A one-out error put Gross on second and Willis walked to bring McClain to the plate. McClain laced a double to left-centerfield to drive in Gross. A bases loaded error by the catcher allowed Willis to score the Tigers 11th run of the day.
Chase Joiner (2-3) earned the win for the Tigers as he allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings of work. Lance Elder (1-2) was tagged with the loss as he allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits in 4.1 innings.
Jacob Wilson and Hynes paced the Memphis offense with two hits and Gross added two hits. The Tigers out-hit the Herd 12-8 on the game. Hynes and McClain led the club with three RBI.
Memphis recorded two triples for the first time since April 3, 2011 against Alcorn State and Sunday’s game marked the first time the Tigers had two triples in a C-USA game since May 9, 2009 against Southern Miss. Memphis sweeps a C-USA opponent on the road for the sixth time since joining the league in 1996.
Memphis closes the five-game road trip at Arkansas State on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
