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CLEARWATER, Fla. – Memphis’ lineup produced eight extra-base hits as the Tigers powered their way past UConn, 9-5, Saturday afternoon in the semifinal round of the American Athletic Conference Championship at Bright House Field.
The win forces a Memphis-UConn rematch at 5:40 p.m. Saturday, with a spot in Sunday’s final at stake. The winner of the rematch will face Houston for the tournament title.
The Tigers (22-38) stormed to a 9-0 lead after three innings as they put an end to UConn’s 11-game winning streak. Memphis opened the game with back-to-back doubles by Zach Schritenthal and Jake Little to take a 1-0 lead. Darien Tubbs followed with an RBI triple before scoring on Brandon Grudielanek’s infield hit, and a Trent Turner double gave the Tigers a 4-0 cushion after one.
Memphis added a run in the second on Little’s sacrifice fly to center before breaking it open in the third. Chris Carrier hit a two-run home run to left and was followed by Jacob Elliott, who hit a solo shot to right to make it 8-0. The lead reached 9-0 on Jason Santana’s sacrifice fly to left, which scored Trent Turner.
UConn (35-23) got one back in the fourth, and the Huskies were able to get the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh after a bases-loaded walk, a two-run single by Bryan Daniello and a base hit by Alex Lefevre cut the deficit to 9-5. Memphis reliever Trey McNickle was able to leave the bases loaded, however, as he got a fly ball for the final out.
Schritenthal went 3-for-5 with a double and a triple, while Carrier and Elliot were both 2-for-4 with a home run for the Tigers, who had four doubles, two triples and two home runs among their 12 hits. McNickle picked up the win in relief, improving to 2-1.
UConn was led by Daniello, who went 4-for-5 with two RBIs. Ronnie Rossomando took the loss, falling to 1-3.
The latest information on the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship is available on the conference’s Championship Central page at
www.TheAmerican.org/Baseball.
2016 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Bright House Field · Clearwater, Fla.
Tuesday, May 24 (CBS Sports Network)
Game 1 – No. 5 Houston 9, vs. No. 4 Cincinnati 1
Game 2 – No. 1 Tulane 4, No. 8 UCF 3
Wednesday, May 25 (American Digital Network)
Game 3 – No. 7 USF 4, No. 2 East Carolina 2
Game 4 – No. 3 UConn 6, No. 6 Memphis 2
Game 5 – UCF 7, Cincinnati 6 (10 innings) ........................................ (Cincinnati eliminated)
Thursday, May 26 (American Digital Network)
Game 6 – Memphis 5, East Carolina 4......................................... (East Carolina eliminated)
Game 7 – Houston 5, Tulane 3
Game 8 – UConn 9, USF 1
Friday, May 27 (American Digital Network)
Game 9 – Tulane 5, UCF 0............................................................................... (UCF eliminated)
Game 10 – Memphis 7, USF 5........................................................................ (USF eliminated)
Saturday, May 28 (American Digital Network)
Game 11 – Houston 6, Tulane 2................................................................. (Tulane eliminated)
Game 12 – Memphis 9, UConn 5
Game 14 – Memphis (22-38) vs. UConn (35-23)....................................................... 5:40 p.m.
Sunday, May 29 (ESPNews)
Game 15 – Houston (36-22) vs UConn/Memphis............................................................ Noon
all times Eastern