MEMPHIS, Tenn. (GoShockers.com) – In a game that lasted five hours and 57 minutes, finishing just after midnight, Wichita State outlasted Memphis 12-10 in 13 innings on Friday night at FedExPark.
The win is Wichita State’s seventh in a row and keeps the Shockers chances at the number three seed in the conference tournament alive. WSU can secure the three seed with a win in Saturday’s series finale. The loss eliminates Memphis from AAC tournament contention.
It was a wild, seesaw affair that saw the lead yo-yo back and forth several times in the late innings. Memphis (22-30, 9-17) carried an 8-5 edge into the seventh, but the Shockers scored one in that inning on a Derek Williams RBI double and two more in the eighth on a game-tying, two-run home run from Jordan Rogers to knot the game at 8-8. The score stayed level until the 11th, when Lane Haworth gave the Shockers (29-26, 15-11) a 10-8 lead with a two-out, two-run double for his fourth hit of the night. Wichita State was within an out of finishing off the game in the bottom of the inning, but Shane Cox dumped a two-out, two-run single into right-center to tie the game at 10-10.
It appeared Memphis would win the game in the bottom of the 12th when the Tigers got runners to second and third with just one out against Ryan Geraghty (2-0). But the freshman righty responded with two strikeouts to leave the winning run at third base.
In the 13th, the Shockers got a leadoff single from Gannon Snyder and a walk from Seth Stroh to put runners at first and second with nobody out. A fly out and a strikeout followed, but Memphis lefty JT Durham issued three consecutive walks to Jordan Rogers, Dayvin Johnson and Derek Williams that forced in two runs for a 12-10 lead.
Geraghty walked the first man he faced in the bottom of the 12th, bringing freshman Jeremiah Arnett into the game. Pitching for the first time since April 30, Arnett struck out the first two hitters he faced and got Jonah Sutton on a fly out to shallow right to nail down his first career save.
The game was the longest in the history of the Memphis baseball program.
Wichita State used 10 pitchers on the night, pulling starter Caden Favors after just three innings in preparation for the conference tournament. Mason Munz delivered one of the best performances of the season with 2.2 hitless, scoreless innings and Nate Adlerfollowed by retiring all seven man he faced with four strikeouts.
Durham (4-2) took the loss for Memphis, allowing both runs in the 12th. Memphis shortstop Jake Curtis pitched two different times in the game, throwing two innings of relief in the seventh and eighth and going back to the mound to record the final out in the 13th.
WSU held a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth thanks to two big swings. Seth Stroh cranked a two-out, two-run homer to right in the second and in the fifth Kam Durnin sliced a single to right field that was misplayed by Memphis outfielder Pierre Seals, allowing Durnin to circle the bases along with Dayvin Johnson. Memphis scored six times in the bottom of the fifth, however, setting the stage for the late inning heroics.
The Shockers conclude the regular season on Saturday afternoon against the Tigers. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
