Memphis Sweeps Doubleheader in Home Opener

Tuesday, March 17

Memphis, Tenn.

5 PM

University of Memphis

9-12

Belmont

5-16

Belmont

Memphis

Mar 17, 2015 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

March 17, 2015

Box Score Gm 1 | Box Score Gm 2 |  Photo Gallery 

MEMPHIS - Memphis softball swept a midweek doubleheader against Belmont on Tuesday in its home opener at the Tiger Softball Complex, winning 8-6 and 9-1 in five innings.

After a hard opening month battling weather, the Tigers finally took the field on their home turf nearly a month after the season's scheduled opener. With the sun shining for the first pitch, Memphis quickly scored seven runs in the first inning of game one with the offense continuing to produce throughout the day.

Memphis improves to 9-12 on the season, while Belmont falls to 5-16.

Sami Jo Schulz hit a bases loaded triple in the first inning of game one. It was her first career triple, and she finished the game with a career best four RBI.

Available in limited pinch hit opportunities through the first 19 games coming back from an offseason injury, Brittany Vaughn made her first two starts of the year at second base after being cleared to play on Monday. Vaughn ripped a pitch over the left field fence in game two for a two-run homer and her first hit of the season.

Two freshmen pitchers earned the victories in the doubleheader for Memphis. Katie Brignac (2-0) earned the win in game one. She allowed five runs on six hits with five strikeouts in six innings of work. Molly Smith (2-2) pitched four shutout innings in game two for the win. She allowed three hits and walked one while striking out two.

Memphis opens up American Athletic Conference play this weekend at Tulsa. The two teams play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 pm and a single game on Sunday at noon.

Game 1: Memphis 8, Belmont 6

Game 1 Box Score (PDF)

The Tigers won the first of two games against Belmont, 8-6, during the St. Patrick's Day home opener.

Belmont scored two quick runs to open the game on a two-run double by Chelsey Deloney. But the Tigers answered with seven runs in the bottom of the inning highlighted by a three-run triple by Sami Jo Schulz.

The game went scoreless for three innings before each team put a run on the board in the fifth. Kirbie Ferrell hit a two-out single to score Kate Black in the top of the inning for Belmont. Schulz drove in pinch runner Addison Maxwell with a bloop to left for Memphis.

Belmont fought back in the top of the seventh with three runs. The Bruins opened the inning with back-to-back pinch hit singles, followed by a RBI single from Ferrell. After back-to-back strikeouts, Kat Hollingsworth hit a two-out double to right center to bring in two more runs and bring the tying run to the plate. Deloney drove a solid hit deep to left, but Hannah Harrell was there to make the out and end the game.

Katie Brignac (2-0) earned the victory for Memphis in the circle. Shelby Willard (1-2) suffered the loss for Belmont after giving up six runs on a hit, three walks and three hit batters in a third inning.

The Bruins out-hit the Tigers 8-7 in the game. Brignac also had a two-run single in the first inning.

Ferrell finished 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Hollingsworth went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored for Belmont.

Game 2: Memphis 9, Belmont 1 (5 innings)

Game 2 Box Score (PDF)

Memphis swept Belmont after getting the win in the second game of the series 9-1 in five innings. The UofM had seven hits and no errors in the game.

Molly Smith (2-2) shut out Belmont for four innings before Calli Irvin came in at the top of the fifth and allowed one run. The pitching pair only allowed four hits in the game and struck out three with two walks.

Brittany Vaughn had her first hit of the season after returning from an injury. In the fourth inning, Vaughn homered to left field bringing in two runs to help seal the win for the Tigers.

Lindsay Crowdus went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Kyler Trosclair and Vaughn also scored twice for Memphis.

Taylor Moon (2-10) suffered the loss in the circle for the Bruins. Jessica Wilson drove in the lone Belmont run in the fifth inning.

Crowdus and Cierra Mangum both had RBI singles in the first inning to give Memphis a 2-0 lead. A RBI double by Hannah Harrell and an error scored three more runs in the second inning.

In the third, Haleigh Ross and Wheeler Hill both drove in runs to make it 7-0 Memphis. The Tigers earned the run-rule with Vaughn's two-run homer in the fourth.