Box Score MEMPHIS-Visiting West Alabama scored four runs in the first inning and four over the final three innings to claim an 8-6 win over the Christian Brothers University Bucs Saturday afternoon at Nadicksbernd Field.

The Tigers (19-9, 8-7 GSC) got on the board quickly in the first inning as Mitch Holgate started the game with a towering homer to center. The Tigers took advantage of three more singles and a pair of errors to plate three more runs to take a 4-0 lead early.

The Bucs (7-22, 1-15) chipped away at the deficit. Tyler Burnett (Germantown, Tenn./Germantown HS) drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a Mickey Smith (Arlington, Tenn./Arlington HS) sacrifice bunt. Justin Neal (Southaven, Miss./Southaven HS) doubled down the right field line to score Burnett to cut the deficit to 4-1.

Burnett scored another run in the bottom of the third as he led off with a double and scored on a Mac Cooley (Bartlett, Tenn./Horn Lake HS) single to left.

The Bucs took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on another rally sparked by Burnett, who was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Cooley singled and Neal was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Charles Kelly (Bartlett, Tenn./Bartlett HS) hit a two-run single through the right side to tie the game, and Josh Ambuehl (Las Vegas, Nev./Arlington HS) gave the Bucs a 6-4 lead with a two-run double to center.

The Tigers tied the game back up in the seventh inning, converting a single, a double, a hit batter, a sacrifice fly and a passed ball into a pair of runs.

UWA took the lead for good in the top of the eighth with a run on three straight two-out singles, and they set the final margin with a ninth-inning run on a hit batter, a single and two sacrifice bunts.

The Bucs threatened in the bottom of the ninth. Neal led off with a double to right, and Kelly walked. Pinch-runners Trey Keppen (Germantown, Tenn./Germantown HS) and Ryan Knott (Cordova, Tenn./St. Benedict HS) moved up to second and third on a one-out groundout, but a lineout ended the game with the tying run on second.

Burnett went 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs, while Cooley, Neal and Ambuehl added two hits each. Kelly and Ambuehl drove in two runs each.

The Bucs and Tigers meet again Sunday at noon for a doubleheader to complete the three-game GSC series.