MEMPHIS, Tenn. – SIUE baseball got out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning Friday and outlasted Memphis for a 10-9 win in the opener of a three-game series.
SIUE improved to 10-6 with the win. Memphis dropped to 10-5.
Ole Arntson drove in runs in the first with a single to left center following walks to Josh Ohl and Connor Kiffer.
"Ole Arntson came up with a big two-out, two-strike hit to get us started," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said.
The Cougars extended their lead to 5-1 in the fourth with three runs on one hits to chase Memphis starter Connor Shamblin. Brett Johnson picked up an RBI with a bases loaded walk and Kiffer reached on an error to drive in a run. Brady Bunten capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Shamblin (2-1) worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits. He walked six and struck out four.
"The offense did a good job against Shamblin," Lyons said. "We took some walks and got guys on base and put the pressure on to get opportunities with guys in scoring position."
Memphis added two runs in the bottom of the fourth and then another in the sixth against SIUE starter Brant Glidewell.
Glidewell improved to 2-0 matching his longest start of the season at six innings. He allowed four runs, just two earned, on eight hits. He struck out one.
"Brant did a great job of scattering eight hits," Lyons said of his starter. "It was a quality start against a quality opponent."
The Cougars proved opportunistic again in the seventh inning, extending their lead. Steven Pattan took a one-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Richie Well popped up a ball on the infield, which was dropped, allowing Pattan to score from second base. Ohl walked and Johnson followed with his Ohio Valley Conference-leading ninth home run of the year to put SIUE ahead 9-4. Bunten homered in the eighth to extend SIUE's lead to 10-4.
Jake Bockestedt worked the seventh and eighth innings for the Cougars without allowing a run. He walked two hitters and allowing two hits.
Memphis then used three hits, two walks, a hit batter and an error to score five times in the ninth inning. Kaid Karnes came in to end the rally getting a popup, a flyout and a strikeout to end the game and earn his first save.
Bunten led SIUE with three hits. He was 3-4 with the homer and two RBIs. Johnson was 1-4 with the home run and four RBIs. Richie Well had two hits and scored twice.
The Cougars continue the series Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch.
"Starting the weekend off with a win is the goal," Lyons said. "We took a step in the right direction. Now we have to take the opportunity to win the series tomorrow."
