Memphis Drops Series Opener to No. 19 UConn

Friday, May 4

Memphis, Tenn.

6:30 p.m.

University of Memphis

15-31, 2-14

UConn

26-13, 10-6

UConn

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew Smith

May 04, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score

Tigers and Huskies continue series Saturday at 2 p.m.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis bullpen pitched well Friday night at FedExPark, led by five strong innings from Connor Alexander, but an early deficit led to a 5-1 defeat to No. 19 UConn in the series opener.

Alexander pitched five innings of relief, allowing two runs on seven hits. He struck out two batters and did not issue a walk. Blake Bennett and Joshua Scheer finished the game out with a perfect inning apiece.

Carlos Williams had a good day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and he scored the only Memphis run of the game. Cale Hennemann also produced a 2-for-3 day and drove in the Tigers only run.

Alex Hicks started on the mound for Memphis and gave up three runs on five hits in two innings pitched.

UConn grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back. The Huskies had two hits in the inning, but an error extended the inning and allowed the runs to score.

Hicks allowed two singles to start the third inning and his day was ended early. Alexander came out of the bullpen and got the Tigers out of the jam, but a run did cross the plate to extend the UConn lead to 3-0.

The Tigers got a run back in the sixth after Williams started the inning with a double to right-center field. After Tyler Webb sacrificed Williams to third base, Hennemann drove in the Tigers first run with a single up the middle.

The Huskies scored two more runs in the eighth inning to extend the lead to 5-1 and put the game away.

Memphis will try to even the series with UConn on Saturday at 2 p.m. Jonathan Bowlan will start on the mound for the Tigers, a week after striking out a school record 18 batters against USF.