A-State baseball falls to Memphis in midweek home matchup

Memphis scored seven unanswered runs in the third through fifth innings on Tuesday night, as the Arkansas State baseball team dropped a 13-4 decision to the Tigers at Tomlinson Stadium-Kell Field.

A-State (15-26) responded to an early 1-0 deficit with two runs in the first, but the Tigers (23-22) relied on 15 hits to retake the lead and depart with the midweek win.

The Red Wolves collected seven hits, two from Cross Jumper, who also scored a run. Brandon Hager belted a two-run homer in the first inning, his 11th of the season and 21st of his career. The Festus, Mo., native moved into a tie for sixth all-time at A-State in career round trippers, joining Todd Baumgartner (2008-11), Ryan Corrigan (1999-02) and Junior Cooper (1977-79).

Brayland Skinner finished a home run shy of the cycle, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and four runs scored to lead the visitors. Jake Curtis went 3-for-5 with four RBIs and a pair of runs, while Austin Baskin went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two driven in. Logan Kohler reached base five times, drawing three walks with a two hits.

Eight pitchers saw the mound for Arkansas State, with Hunter Draper tossing the first two innings. Bryce Schares hurled a five-pitch frame in the sixth, while Jake Henry Williams retired the side in his mound debut, fanning two batters in the top of the ninth. Chase Armstrong (1-3) took the loss, allowing five runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Memphis struck first when an RBI triple by Kohler scored Baskin, but A-State responded with Hager’s two-run shot to right-center field to lead 2-1 after one.

The Tigers scratched back to tie it in the third when a bases-loaded walk plated Skinner, who led off the inning with a double. Four more crossed in the third, giving Memphis starter Glenn Green III (4-0) a 6-2 lead with which to work. Green III allowed two unearned runs on three hits in his four innings, fanning four and walking one.

In that four-run fourth, Skinner legged out a two-out triple before crossing on a two-run homer by Curtis. Baskin continued the inning with a single to left and then scored on Kohler’s two-run shot.

Cameron Benson homered with one out in the fifth, and then Skinner scored for the third inning in a row on an RBI single by Curtis, putting the score at 8-2 through five. After Schares made quick work of the Tigers in the sixth, Baskin singled home Skinner and Curtis to make it an eight-run affair at the stretch.

A-State broke the scoring drought with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Jumper led off the inning with a single and then scored on a base hit by Allen Grier, who advanced to second on a balk and to third on a wild pitch. Grier then scored when Nathan VerMaas roped a single to right.

Memphis answered with three in the top of the eighth, as Skinner plated two on a double off the right-field fence before Curtis drove in what would be the game’s final run with a sacrifice fly.

NEXT UP

The Red Wolves continue their five-game home stand with a three-game Sun Belt Conference series against first-time foe Old Dominion. First pitch times are slated for 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday. All three contests will be broadcasted on ESPN+, while the radio broadcasts can be heard on The Ticket Radio Network stations 95.3, 96.9 and 970 AM in Jonesboro, as well as online at 953theticket.com.