Memphis wins series over SIU in the 13th

Sunday, March 12

Memphis, Tenn.

1 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

8-7

Memphis

9-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Illinois	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	7	2
Memphis	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	5	1

03/12/2017 | 6:01:00 | Baseball

Box Score

By: By John Lock | SIUSalukis.com

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Southern Illinois baseball team dropped the game and the series in 13 innings at Memphis on Sunday afternoon at FedExPark. The Tigers scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 13th inning to win the game 2-1 and the series 2-1.

"It's a tough loss," SIU head coach Ken Henderson said. "When you get one run in 13 innings, you're not going to win very many games. We weren't good enough on offense today. We pitched well enough to win and for the most part played good defense. We didn't have a lot of opportunities; but when we had them, we didn't put good ABs together to find a way to score."

The game, like all of the three-game series, was dominated by pitching. Memphis starter Connor Alexander pitched his best game of 2017, allowing only four hits in 7.1 innings. SIU starter Joey Marciano also pitched his best game of the season, striking out six and allowing only two hits before reaching his pitch count in the sixth inning.

"Joey was pretty good today," Henderson said. "He looked more like himself. His pitch count got up, so we had to get him out, but he was great."

Memphis (9-6) took the early 1-0 lead in the third inning. Marciano walked a pair before Memphis singled in a run. After Marciano was pulled in the sixth, Southern's bullpen was outstanding throughout the rest of the game. Brad Harrison, who started the game as SIU's designated hitter, took the ball from Marciano in the sixth and got out of the inning unharmed. Alex Gutermuth followed with two scoreless innings, keeping his season ERA (7.2 IP) at 0.00.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Ryan Netemeyer came in with runners on second and third with one out. Connor Kopach made a sensational leaping grab on a line drive and doubled off the runner at second base to send the game to extras. Netemeyer went on to throw 2.2 scoreless innings in his longest appearance of the year, allowing just one hit. Anthony Shimkus pitched a scoreless 12th and was back on the hill in the 13th. With runners on second and third base with one out, a ground ball went through the legs of Logan Blackfan to allow the winning run to score.

"Our bullpen pitched out of some jams," Henderson said. "They gave us a chance."

Southern's best chances came in the eighth, ninth and 12th innings. In the eighth, Harrison led off with a single and Kopach walked with one out. Ryan Smith barreled a ball up, but Memphis third baseman Kyle O'Keefe blindly stabbed it and completed the 5-3 double play. In the ninth, Greg Lambert led off with a double but was caught trying to advance to third on a wild pitch.

In the 12th, Lambert led off with a single. Then, Memphis had a chance to turn a double play, but a high throw from the pitcher forced Tiger shortstop Alec Trela into a leaping grab, and Lambert was ruled out on the neighborhood play. Nick Hutchins fouled the next pitch off his foot but was ruled out after play continued with the ball in fair territory. Jake Hand followed with a single, but Blackfan was thrown out at the plate to keep the game tied.

In the three-game series, every game was decided in the last at-bat. Neither team led by more than one run at any point in the series. Memphis won on walk-offs in the first and third games to win the series, and SIU scored two in the ninth for a comeback 3-2 win on Saturday.

"They're a pretty good ball club," Henderson said of Memphis. "We played hard. We battled for 13 innings. We just have to play better. We can swing it better and get some guys going."

SIU fell to 8-7 on the season after 15 games. The Salukis travel to Arkansas State on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. game before a four-game weekend in Champaign next weekend. The Salukis will play Toledo twice and Illinois twice in Champaign.