Box Score
Valparaiso committed three errors on Friday afternoon, and after
tying the game at five, saw Memphis score the
game’s final four runs on the way to a 9-5 victory over the Crusaders at USA
Stadium in Millington, Tenn.
“We kicked the ball around
some today, and gave them some runs,” head coach Tracy Woodson said. “We
can’t do that and expect to win ball games.”
The Crusaders jumped on top
first in the opening inning as Dan
DeBruin (Combined Locks, Wis./Kimberly
H.S.) led off the game reaching on an error and Kyle Muhlsteff (Yorba
Linda, Calif./Esperanza
H.S.) followed with a double. A
groundout by Andrew Quinnette (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo H.S.)
plated DeBruin and Josh Wallace (Bellefountaine, Ohio/Bellefountaine
H.S.) followed with a run-scoring single to make it 2-0 Valpo.
Memphis took advantage of Valpo mistakes in the fourth to
score three times, including one unearned tally. A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases
without an out, and a fielder’s choice scored two runs, including one on an
errant throw. A fielding error allowed
the third run to score for the Tigers, and give the hosts their first lead of
the game.
A sacrifice fly in the fifth
and a run-scoring double by Jacob Wilson in the sixth gave Memphis a 5-2 lead before the Crusaders tied
the game in the seventh. Billy Cribbs (Rochester,
Mich./Rochester H.S.) doubled home a run and
scored himself on Ryan Shober’s (Inverness, Ill./Fremd
H.S.) first collegiate round-tripper to left.
The Tigers answered with
three in the bottom of the seventh. A
leadoff homer by Brett Bowen gave Memphis
(4-5) the lead for good and the Tigers scored two more times while sending
eight hitters to the plate in the frame.
Another sacrifice fly in the eighth capped the scoring.
Brennon Martin (2-0) earned
the win for Memphis,
allowing four earned runs in seven innings of work while giving up eight hits
and striking out two. Heith Hatfield
pitched the final two innings to earn his third save of the season, fanning
three.
John Snelten
(Ingleside, Ill./Antioch H.S.) suffered the loss (0-2)
for Valpo out of the bullpen, allowing three runs and three hits in just 0.2
innings while walking one.
Wallace and Muhlsteff each
had two hits for Valpo while Cole Shelton drove home three runs for Memphis.
Valparaiso (4-4) and Memphis
will play game two of their weekend series on Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m.
contest at USA Stadium.