Tigers Drop Doubleheader and Series to UConn

Sunday, April 12

Storrs, Conn.

11 AM

University of Memphis

14-22, 2-7

Uconn

14-23, 3-5

Memphis

UConn

Apr 12, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

April 12, 2015

Box Score

MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Memphis fell in both games of Sunday's doubleheader against the University of Connecticut 8-7 and 4-3 to wrap up the American Athletic Conference series played on the campus of Eastern Connecticut State.

The Tigers fell to 14-21 and 2-6 in conference play as they lost the series to the Huskies, who improved to 13-23 and 2-5 in the AAC with the pair of wins.

Brittany Vaughn led the Tigers at the plate with five RBI in the two games, finishing 4-6 on the day and concluding a strong weekend for her.

Freshman Addison Maxwell also came through for the Tigers with RBI in both of the games, including the game-tying hit in the sixth inning of game two.

Despite losing the series and both games on Sunday, the Tigers continued to hit the ball well, outhitting UConn in all three games and outscoring their opponents 23-11 over the two days.

Jordan Richwood, despite taking the loss in game two, gave up only eight hits in her 11.2 innings of work over the weekend, tossing two complete games.

Game One -- Memphis 7, UConn 8

Box Score Game One (PDF) 

The Tigers jumped out to a big, early lead but were unable to hold it as a seven-run third inning helped the Huskies take the opening game of the doubleheader.

Memphis outhit UConn 9-5 and scored runs in each of the first three innings, but were undone by a combined eight walks the pitching staff administered.

Freshmen Katie Brignac and Molly Smith split the time in the circle, with Brignac getting the start and Smith (3-5) taking the loss. Brignac went 2.1 innings and gave up four runs and five walks while striking out three. Smith threw 3.2 innings with four runs and two strikeouts.

Lauren Duggan (8-9) got the win for the Huskies and threw a complete game, giving up seven runs and walking three.

Lindsay Crowdus earned a two-out walk in the first, and then came around to score when the right fielder dropped a fly ball from Anna Thomas, who went all the way to third on the play. Brignac helped herself out by picking up her fourth RBI of the weekend with a single through the pitcher's legs and into center field. She finished 2-4 on the game and would later score a run.

Maxwell hit in her first career RBI in the top of the second when she singled in Vaughn, giving the Tigers a 3-0 lead. Vaughn had reached base after being hit by a pitch. She was then sacrificed to second and a wild pitch put her at third.

Vaughn would make another big contribution in the third inning. With two outs and Brignac and Sami Jo Schulz standing on base, Vaughn drove the first pitch she saw out for a three-run home run and the Tigers led 6-0.

Brignac came out in the bottom of the third and struck out the first batter she saw. The Tigers almost had the second out as the next batter flew out to Crowdus in center, but the umpire judged it was an illegal pitch, giving the batter new life, which turned into a walk, starting the trouble for the Tigers.

After another illegal pitch and walk, UConn got its first run of the weekend on a double from Alyson Ambler. Brignac then walked her third batter of the inning and Smith came in to pitch in relief. After another walk made it 6-2, Smith struck out a batter for the second out.

Another walk made it 6-3, and Alyssa Gardea took a 1-2 pitch and hit it over the left field wall to put the Huskies on top 7-6. The Huskies extended their lead with an RBI in the bottom of the fourth.

The Tigers gave themselves a chance in the seventh inning as Crowdus led off with a double. Thomas worked a walk, and then Crowdus stole third, putting runners on the corner with nobody out.

Following a strikeout, Sami Jo Schulz drove Crowdus in with an infield single. Her hard-hit ground ball escaped the third baseman and allowed the run to come in. A fielder's choice out brought the Tigers to their final out. Brooke Lee pinch hit and made good contact, but the right fielder was able to come in and make the play to end the game.

Game Two -- Memphis 3, UConn 4

Box Score Game Two (PDF) 

In game two, it was the Tigers turn to come back, however they were unable to complete it as the Huskies won with a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh.

In the other games in the series, the Tigers outhit their opponents and the final game was no different. Memphis finished with eight hits while UConn managed seven. And for the fifth-straight game, the Tiger defense did not commit an error.

Jordan Richwood (7-12) returned after her one-hit shutout the night before, and threw 6.2 innings in the loss. Only three of the four runs were earned, and she added three strike outs.

The Huskies jumped out ahead early in the bottom of the first. Lexi Gifford drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and then came around to score on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out.

UConn doubled its lead in the second inning. A two-out single was followed by a double to the fence, bringing in another run. A solo home run in the third gave Connecticut a 3-0 lead.

The Tigers had opportunities to come back early in the game. Memphis loaded the bases in the third inning with nobody out, but a pop up created the first out, and then a fly out resulted in a double play when Maxwell was thrown out trying to score.

In the fourth the Tigers got runners on first and second before the first out, but a doubleplay ended the threat.

Memphis broke through in the sixth inning as Crowdus reached on an error and then Thomas singled to left. Sami Jo Schulz walked to load the bases with one out, and Vaughn then picked up her fourth and fifth RBI of the day with a double to left field. The center fielder tried to make a diving catch but it bounced away from her.

With two outs, it was up to Maxwell and she picked up another RBI as she lined a pitch off of the pitcher's glove for an infield single, scoring Schulz to tie the game.

UConn stranded runners at first and second in their half of the sixth, and then the Tigers went down in order in the top of the seventh, setting up the Huskies to win it in the bottom of the inning.

Taylor Townsend singled to lead off the inning. UConn tried to sacrifice her over, but the bunt went straight up in the air and Richwood put it away. The next batter popped up to Haleigh Ross behind home plate for the second out. A wild pitch advanced Townsend to second in scoring position, and she was brought in with a line drive single into center to win the game.

The Tigers return to action on Wednesday as they travel to Martin, Tenn. for a doubleheader against UT Martin. Next weekend, Memphis welcomes No. 17 UCF to Tiger Softball Complex for an AAC series.

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