MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Memphis scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the W.S. ‘Babe’ Howard Classic in dramatic fashion, 7-6, over UT Martin Tuesday night at USA Stadium. The Tigers (26-23) will hope to ride the momentum from the walk-off win into their road series at East Carolina this weekend.
The two teams went back-and-forth all night but it was Memphis that came out on top with a big bottom of the ninth inning. Tyler Webb was able to get things started with a single up the middle before he advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brandon Grudzielanek then tied the game up with a two-out single to drive in Webb and make the score 6-6.
Then Alec Trela provided the heroics with a walk-off single to center field that scored Grudzielanek to end the game.
Blake Bennett was the winning pitcher after he tossed a perfect top of the ninth inning with two strikeouts.
UT Martin came out of the gate on fire and tagged Memphis starter Colton Hathcock for two runs in the top of the first but it could have been worse if not for Chris Carrier gunning down a runner at the plate to end the inning. Hathcock finished with two innings pitched.
Alex Hicks came out of the bullpen for the third inning and pitched a scoreless frame around a double.
Memphis rallied back to take the lead on a pair of home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Chris Carrier smashed his 11th home run of the season to get the Tigers on the board. Then after Grudzielanek legged out a bunt single, Trela hammered a two-run homer to give Memphis a 3-2 lead over UT Martin.
UT Martin came right back to retake the lead, 4-3, after loading the bases with nobody out off of Hicks in the top of the fifth. Memphis went to Connor Alexander out of the bullpen and he was able to limit the damage, allowing a sacrifice fly and an RBI single before getting a double play to end the inning.
The Tigers retook the lead again with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Memphis loaded the bases with nobody out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Webb and an RBI groundout by Carrier to make the score 5-4.
The teams continued the back-and-forth as UT Martin knotted it back up, 5-5, in the top of the sixth. Alexander was able to work out of the jam with only one run coming home.
The Skyhawks grabbed another lead in the top of the eighth after an infield single, a stolen base, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to center.
Zach Schritenthal finished the game 2-for-4, while Grudzielanake and Trela also each had two hits. Trela drove in a game-high three runs.
