Memphis Holds Off Northwest Arkansas Bombers

BENTONVILLE -- Memphis seemed on cruise control early Friday afternoon.

Memphis jumped to an early 15-1 lead against the Northwest Arkansas Bombers after three at-bats at the Hawg Showcase Baseball Tournament, and the Tigers ended up needing every run.

How The Scored

Memphis Tigers 16, Northwest Arkansas Bombers 12

Tigers^465^01^—^16^11^1

Bombers^0110^01^—^12^12^2

Garrison, Kidd (2), Bailey (4) and Lara; Church,Harmon (2), Beckmann (2) and Putnam. W - Garrison. L - Church. HRs - Memphis, Williams; Northwest Arkansas, Gregg, Wright.

The Bombers used an 10-run third inning to cut the lead to 15-11 and had the tying run in the on-deck circle before losing 16-12 at Phillips Park. The Bombers finished with 12 hits.

"We just ran out of time," said Bombers coach Tony Arnone. "We are a little short on pitching. We just gave up too many early."

The Bombers sent 13 hitters to the plate in the third and cut the lead to four behind big hits from Cole Wright and Tyler Gregg. Wright hit a two-out, two-run double, and Gregg, the All-NWA Media Newcomer of the Year from Farmington, followed with a three-run home run well over the left field fence to make it a 15-11 game. The Bombers threatened in their last at-bat and had runners at first and third when the game ended.

Wright, Tyler Poole, Blake Putnam and Tyler Harmon all had two hits each for the Bombers.

"This team has always been extremely resilient," Arnone said. "We have had a lot of come-from-behind victories, we just didn't get it done today. We just fell a little short."

Memphis is coached by former Major League Baseball pitcher David West, and he said getting a big lead early was the difference. West pitched for four different Major League Baseball teams in a 10-year career, and he pitched in the World Series with Minnesota in 1991 and with Philadelphia in 1993.

"We scored some runs early, and we always need them all," West said. "You never know in these weeklong tournaments with the way the wind is blowing. You can never have enough runs."

LaDarius Williams set the tone for the Tigers in the top of the first with a three-run home run out of the No. 3 spot in the order. Dylan Smith upped the lead to 4-0 with an RBI double in the first, and the Tigers then added six runs in the second and five in the third for the early lead.

Jackson Wiggins hit a two-run single in the third while Reese Lara followed with a two-run double. The Tigers finished with 11 hits as five of the top six hitters in the order had two hits each.

"LaDarius swings the bat well, and he got us off to a good start," West said. "That's the thing we need, momentum early. We hope to continue that during the rest of the weekend."

Sports on 06/21/2014

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