Memphis and Little Rock Split Friday Doubleheader

Friday, March 9

Memphis, Tenn.

1 p.m.

University of Memphis

6-8

Little Rock

6-8

Little Rock

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Mar 09, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The series finale is Saturday at 1 p.m.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis and Little Rock split a doubleheader Friday at FedExPark with the Tigers winning the series opener 10-6 and losing the second game 5-4.

The two teams will wrap up the series Saturday at 1 p.m.

In Game 1 the Tigers trailed early but rallied to win but in Game 2 Memphis held a 4-1 lead before losing late.

GAME 1:
Memphis dug itself an early hole against Little Rock but the Tigers managed to dig out of it in a big way for a 10-6 win in the series-opener Friday at FedExPark. The Trojans jumped out to leads of 5-0 and 6-2 before the Tigers put together a five-run fourth to take the lead.

Little Rock exploded for five runs in the top of the second on three home runs off of starting pitcher Riley Cabral. The first two were solo blasts but after a pair of two-out base runners, a three-run homer made it 5-0.

Memphis got a run back in the second inning on a two-out RBI double by Kyle O'Keefe. The Trojans got the run right back though on a fourth home run to start the third inning.

The Tigers got another run across in the third on an RBI single by Tyler Webb to make the score 6-2.

The fourth inning saw a change in fortunes for Memphis, as the Tigers singled the Trojans to death to take a 7-6 lead over Little Rock. The Tigers started the inning with five-straight singles by Jason Santana, Evan Bell, Kyle O'Keefe, Josh Rooker and Nick Vaage to trim the lead to 6-5. A sacrifice fly by Alec Trela tied the game 6-6.

Kyle Ouellette provided the go-ahead hit with an RBI single to right field that scored Vaage from second.

Webb added to the lead with a run in the sixth inning, driving in Vaage with a single to left field. Santana put two more runs on the board with a two-run homer in the seventh.

Cabral went on to pitch six innings and strike out five. Hunter Smith came out of the bullpen to pitch three scoreless innings and pick up the save.

GAME 2:
Jonathan Bowlan pitched a gem, striking out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings. He did not walk a batter and only one unearned run was scored against him.

The junior right-hander struck out the side three times, in the second, fourth and seventh innings. He departed the game with a 4-1 lead after the seventh inning.

The Tigers scored two runs in the first inning, which featured three hits and an error. Kyle Ouellette and Cale Hennemann provided RBI singles in the frame.

Memphis added another run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Webb.

Colton Neel started the fourth inning with a solo home run smashed over the right field wall to make the Tigers lead 4-0.

Bowlan turned things over to the bullpen in the eighth inning and Little Rock took advantage, scoring four runs to take a 5-4 lead.