Braves Fall in Offensive Melee at Memphis

MEMPHIS – Memphis finished on the front end of a high-scoring 18-7 affair Wednesday over the Alcorn State University baseball program at Fed Ex Park.
 
The Braves (7-21, 3-9 SWAC) led 6-4 heading into the bottom of the fourth, but the Tigers (20-9, 2-1 AAC) scored 14 runs in their final five at-bats to pull away.
 
With a two-for-three night at the plate and a pair of walks, junior Wallace Rios Jimenez extended his league-leading on-base streak to 25 games. He also knocked in a run and scored one. Rios now holds a .513 on-base percentage on the season.
 
Alcorn also saw junior D'Vennio Warner and sophomore Brandon Barna record multi-hit games. It was Warner's first of the season and Barna's ninth.
 
A double in the second inning by junior Der'Vincent Hamilton increased his hitting-streak to 10 games. Senior Kirt Cormier drew a walk in the game to keep his on-base streak alive at 16 games.
 
The Tigers got on the board with four runs in the first inning, but the Braves quickly chipped away with three in the second. Alcorn moved station-to-station as senior Justin Barna walked, senior Jason Sanez singled to left, Hamilton doubled to right and Brandon Barna hit a sacrifice fly to right. It became a 4-3 game when Warner reached on an error at second base to score Hamilton.
 
Alcorn's bats kept it going in the fourth with three more runs to take a 6-4 advantage. Three consecutive singles by Hamilton, junior Christian Acklin and Rios plated the first run. Warner picked up an RBI on a groundout, and senior Walter Vives singled up the middle to score Rios.
 
Memphis quickly responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to go back up 7-6, and tacked on three more in the next inning to push the lead to 10-6.
 
Alcorn's final tally came in the sixth on a sacrifice fly to left field by Acklin. It scored Brandon Barna after he led off the inning with a triple to right field.
 
The Tigers pulled away with six runs in the eighth inning.
 
Senior Patrick McMahon (0-1) got the start and struck out three batters in 5.0 innings. Freshman Anthony Acosta tossed 1.2 innings of shutout ball in relief and allowed just one hit while striking out three.
 
Alcorn chased Memphis' starter Tommy Morren out of the game after 3.2 innings. He surrendered six earned runs on seven hits and three walks. Takoda Metoxen (1-0) came out of the bullpen to pick up the win. The Tigers used five relievers who combined to give up just one run.
 
Eight of the nine Tiger starters registered a hit in the game. Brandon Grudzielanek ended with three hits, two runs and a pair of RBI.
 
The contest marked the sixth of a 12-game road swing for the Braves. They will have the weekend off from competition before traveling to McNeese State on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
 
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