-University of Memphis
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Tulane (18-8, 1-1) held a 13-1 lead entering the ninth, but six ninth-inning runs by Memphis (12-15, 2-3) weren’t enough as Tulane evened the Conference USA series at FedExPark on Saturday.
Jeremy Schaffer hit a two-out solo shot to left field to give the Green Wave a 1-0 lead in the first. Tulane put two runners on in the second with one out in what could have been more trouble, but the Tiger defense turned its 20th double play of the season to get Langfield out of the jam.
Memphis then knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second, but stranded the bases loaded. Derrick Thomas worked a one-out walk and Carter White moved him to third with a single to left-centerfield. Ford Wilson delivered a one-out RBI single to center to score Thomas from third. Designated-hitter Nate Rupiper reached on an infield single, but Tulane got out of the bases loaded jam with a groundout to first.
A dropped third strike came back to haunt the Tigers in the third as Tulane scored four runs with two outs in the inning. Bowen Woodson struck out, but a wild pitch allowed him to reach base and he scored on a two-out single by Nick Schneeberger. A hit batter put two on with two out and Frank Florio hit the second home run of the day for the Green Wave, a three-run shot to right field to open up a 5-1 lead.
In the fifth, Tulane loaded the bases with two outs, but Tiger relief pitcher Dylan Toscano fanned Brennan Middleton to keep the Green Wave lead at 5-1. Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases, but Toscano struck out two in the inning.
Tulane starter David Napoli retired 11-straight batters after the third inning, but Carter White led off the seventh with a single for the Tigers. An error allowed White to advance to second base, but he was stranded there to end the inning with the Green Wave maintaining the 5-1 lead.
The Green Wave scored six runs on five hits in the eighth to take an 11-1 lead. Two walks and a hit batter helped Tulane send 10 batters to the plate in the frame. The eighth inning has haunted the Tigers as Tulane is the second team to score five or more runs in the eighth inning during conference play in just the second conference series. Two unearned runs in the ninth by Tulane stretched the lead to 13-1.
Memphis rallied for six runs in the ninth, working through three different Green Wave hurlers, but a bases-loaded double play thwarted the chances of a comeback. The Tigers sent seven men to the plate before an out was recorded in the ninth, scoring five runs before a double play groundout drove in another.
McClain recorded his 15th multi-hit game and White joined him with two hits on the game. Tulane out-hit Memphis 14-9. David Napoli (4-1) pitched eight innings and allowed one earned run on six hits to pick up the win. Dan Langfield (4-3) pitched four innings and allowed five runs on six hits in the loss.
Memphis looks to win the series when the two clubs meet at FedExPark for the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m.
