Feb. 19, 2012

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - SIUE baseball fought back from a 3-0 deficit Sunday to defeat Memphis 10-7 to take the rubber game of the three-game series.

"I'll take that every weekend," SIUE Head Coach Gary Collins said after winning the series. "I thought we were well prepared."

Memphis (1-2) took a 3-0 lead thanks to three hits in the third inning off Cougars starter Josh Hoguet. Hoguet pitched three innings allowing the runs on seven hits in his first outing of the season. The right-hander struck out three.

"Josh got some bad breaks today," Collins said. "I thought he pitched pretty well.

The Cougars (2-1) tied the game with a three-run top half of the fourth inning. Travis Becherer, Mitch Matecki and Devin Caldwell opened the inning with consecutive singles, before Zach Hawkins plated two runs with a bases-loaded single. Joel Greatting walked to load the bases for a second time, and with two outs in the inning, Nick Lombardo walked, forcing home Caldwell with the tying run. The RBI was the first of Lombardo's career.

Memphis struck for three more runs in the bottom half of the inning against SIUE reliever Luke Ingersoll. Ingersoll lasted just 2/3 of an inning before being relieved by Brian Lorenz.

Lorenz (1-0) earned the win, allowing just two hits over 3.1 innings of work. He struck out two. Thad Hawkins tossed the final two innings allowing a run on one hit. He struck out one for his first save of the year.

"Brian and Thad were both good today," Collins said. "They both did a nice job."

Zach Hawkins drove in his third run of the day with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth to make it 6-4 Tigers. SIUE took the lead for good with three runs in the seventh inning. Caldwell doubled to start the inning before Zach Hawkins singled. Greatting drove both home with a double. Greatting then scored on a one-out double by Chase Green to make it 7-6 SIUE.

"We had clutch hits throughout the lineup," Collins said. "Zach and Devin had some big hits. Chase Green wasn't hitting the ball very well all weekend and he gets a big hit today."

Hawkins drove in his fourth run of the game in the eighth inning when the Cougars scored twice. Becherer tripled to lead off the inning, before Hawkins singled him in with two outs in the inning. Chase Green reached on error and went all the way to third to start the ninth for SIUE before Becherer singled to make it 10-6 Cougars.

Memphis added a run in the bottom of the ninth for the final score.

Zach Hawkins finished the day 3 of 4 with four RBIs, which tied a career high. Becherer was 5 of 6 with an RBI and three runs. The five hits is a career high for the junior. Greatting was 1 for 2 with the two RBIs and a run. Caldwell was 2 for 4 with two runs scored.

The Cougars are off until when they travel to Central Arkansas to begin a three-game series.