Memphis Takes Series-Opener 6-4 Over #6 Clemson in 10 innings Friday

March 9, 2007

Clemson, SC-

Josh Irvin’s two-run single in the 10th inning lifted Memphis to a 6-4 victory over #6 Clemson on Friday in front of 4,305 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Memphis took a 1-0 series lead and improved to 8-3 overall. Clemson fell to 8-4 overall.

Will Hudgens (2-0) earned the victory by pitching the final 1.1 innings, allowing no runs on one hit. Daniel Moskos (2-2), the third Clemson pitcher of the night, suffered the loss, as he allowed two runs on two hits with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings pitched.

Memphis opened the scoring with one run in the first. K.K. Chalmers reached on a walk to lead off the inning, followed by a single by Will Petersen. Bill Moss flied out to right field, advancing Chalmers to third. Joseph Lieberman then singled to second base, scoring Chalmers and putting Memphis ahead 1-0.

Memphis added to its lead in the fifth. Chris Kirkland singled to right field. Petersen reached on a fielder’s choice to shortstop and Kirkland was out on the play. Petersen stole second and went to third on a throwing error by Alex Burg. Moss then singled up the middle, scoring Petersen, followed by a two-run home run by Lieberman to left-center, putting Memphis ahead 4-0. It was Lieberman’s first long ball of the season.

Clemson got one of those runs back in the bottom of the fifth. Alex Burg was hit by a pitch to lead off. Moss booted a potential double-play ball off the bat of Wilson Boyd, allowing Burg to advance to third with no outs. David Bunnell reached on a walk to load the bases. Two batters later, Brad Chalk hit a sacrifice lineout to left field to plate Burg and put the Tigers on the board.

Clemson cut Memphis’ lead by one in the seventh. Bunnell singled through the left side to lead off followed by Addison Johnson’s single up the middle. Chalk reached on a walk and with the bases loaded, Taylor Harbin reached on a fielder’s choice that plated Bunnell and advanced Johnson to third. Johnson then scored on a passed ball, putting Clemson within one run.

In the ninth inning with two outs, Andy D’Alessio hit a towering homer to right-center to tie the score 4-4. It was D’Alessio’s second home run of the season. Marquez Smith followed with a single up the middle but was caught stealing to end the inning.

Memphis came through with the winning runs in the top of the 10th inning. Petersen singled to right field to begin the frame. Moss advanced Petersen to second on a sacrifice bunt. Lieberman walked and Petersen and Lieberman both advanced a base on a wild pitch. Adam Amar was intentionally walked to load the bases, then Irvin singled down the left-field line, plating Lieberman and Peterson to put Memphis ahead 6-4.

Lieberman was 3-for-4 for Memphis, and Irvin added the two-run single that won the game. D’Alessio was 3-for-5 with a homer to lead Clemson offensively. Chalk and Smith also had two hits apiece for Clemson.

It was the first time that Memphis scored more than five runs in a game since its season-opener. Memphis pitchers allowed 17 baserunners, but only allowed four to cross home plate, as Clemson stranded 11 runners on base and went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Clemson and Memphis will play game two of the three-game series on Saturday at 2:00 PM.