Tigers Come Up Just Short Against No. 5 Arkansas

Tuesday, March 27

Memphis, Tenn.

6:30 p.m.

University of Memphis

8-17

Arkansas

18-7

Arkansas

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Mar 27, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score

Razorbacks score game-winning run in the ninth inning

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis went toe-to-toe with No. 5 Arkansas but came up just short, 8-7, Tuesday night at AutoZone Park. The game featured six lead changes and two ties.

Both teams scored the majority of their runs with two outs as Arkansas plated seven runs with two outs and Memphis scored five with two outs.

The Tigers (8-17, 0-3 AAC) used seven different pitchers, while the Razorbacks sent four different men to the mound.

Tyler Webb had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Jason Santana went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while six other Tigers starters each had a hit.

Memphis got an early first-inning lead after Webb doubled for the 11^th time this season and later scored on a passed ball.

The Razorbacks came back to take a 2-1 lead in the third inning, starting with a solo home run and then scoring on an RBI single.

Memphis busted out for four runs in the third to take a 5-2 lead over Arkansas. Webb legged out an infield single and stole second base. Cale Hennemann drove him in with an RBI double to tie the game 2-2. Kyle Ouellette continued the inning with an RBI single that scored Hennemann.

Kyle O'Keefe provided the big blow, smashing a two-run home run to left field to make the score 5-2. The homer was O'Keefe's third of the season and his second-consecutive game with a homer.

Arkansas battled right back to tie the game up with three runs in the fourth off of Memphis starter Danny Denz. The Tigers were nearly out of the inning with no harm done, before the Razorbacks hit back-to-back run-scoring singles with two outs.

The Tigers took the lead right back in the bottom of the fourth after Santana started the inning with a single and Colton Neel walked. Alec Trela came through with a one-out RBI single to right field to give Memphis a 6-5 lead.

But the Razorbacks came back yet again to retake the lead, 7-6, with a two-out two-run single off of reliever Taylor Bobo.

Memphis clawed its way back to tie the game up in the bottom of the eighth, using three-straight two-out singles. Santana and Neel both singled before Webb drove in the game-tying run.

Arkansas pulled ahead for good in the ninth, scoring yet another two-out run to go up 8-7. Razorbacks' pitcher Jackson Rutledge finished off the bottom of the ninth to seal the win.

Tiger relievers Alex Smith, Takoda Metoxen and Blake Bennett all had scoreless outings out of the bullpen.

Memphis will host another nationally ranked opponent this weekend, welcoming UCF to FedExPark for a three-game series starting Thursday at 6:30 p.m.