Skyhawks can’t hold early lead

Posted: Friday, May 18, 2012 12:00 pm

MEMPHIS — UT Martin led after four innings, but Memphis ended the game with four multi-run innings in a 13-3 decision over the Skyhawks in collegiate baseball action at FedEx Park.
UT Martin (13-38) banged out five hits on its way to a three-run fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead over the Tigers. However, that would be the only inning in which the Skyhawks would get on the scoreboard.
Offensively, eight of UT Martin’s nine starters recorded a hit, with Phil Sorensen and Nico Zych driving in one run each. Sorensen, Matt Young and Jordan Owen scored runs for the Skyhawks, who saw 23 players take the field.
Skyhawk starting pitcher Brendan Lozupone (0-5) was strong, taming the Tiger offense until a three-run fifth inning. Overall, Lozupone allowed four earned runs over 4 1/3 frames, striking out four against zero walks. Fellow southpaws Trevor Lundgrin and Taylor Cox also posted shutout appearances, each tossing 2/3rds innings in relief.
Lozupone breezed through the first inning, retiring the side in order. Memphis would then piece together solo homers in both the second and third innings to take an early 2-0 advantage.
The Skyhawks grabbed the lead in the fourth inning.
Young ripped the first pitch of the inning into center for a single and advanced to second on a single by Owen. After Young advanced on a groundout and Owen stole second, Sorensen went the opposite way with a single through the left side to score Young.
Byron Johann then followed with a bunt single to load the bases. Zych then singled through the left side to bring in Owen and tie the game at 2-all.
During the next at-bat, Sorensen scored the Skyhawks’ third run of the inning on a wild pitch to make the score 3-2.
Pitching with a lead, Lozupone tossed a scoreless fourth inning to keep UT Martin’s lead at 3-2. However, Memphis used three runs in the fifth to go on top 5-3. That began a stretch of 11 unanswered runs for the Tigers. Published in The WCP 5.17.12