Tigers split Opening Day

Saturday, February 16

Memphis, Tenn.

12 p.m.

University of Memphis

0-1

Indiana

1-0

Indiana

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Feb 16, 2019 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Highlighted by a 6-3 Game 2 victory, Memphis baseball split its Opening Day doubleheader against Indiana on Saturday at FedExPark.

Sunday's rubber match is set for 1 p.m.

"We're back where we started, 1-1. A lot of college baseball double-headers get split," Head Coach Daron Schoenrock said. "It was good to see a lot of guys swing the bat up and down the lineup and maybe get some things going for tomorrow.

The Hoosiers opened the 2019 season with a 6-1 win in Game 1. After a four-inning pitcher's duel, Indiana pushed four runs across the plate in the top of the fifth inning. The Hoosiers then added a run in the seventh to reach a 5-0 lead.

Memphis responded with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Jason Santana scored Kyle Ouellette behind an RBI single, but the bid for a comeback fell short.

In the nightcap, the Tigers used timely hitting coupled with two strong performances on the mound to register the win.

Freshman Hunter Goodman led the offense, going 3-for-4 at the plate with three doubles and four RBI. The Tiger pitching duo of senior Alex Hicks and junior Danny Denz combined for 13 strikeouts.

"Alex Hicks did a phenomenal job denying the leadoff man, so it made them play from behind in the second game," Schoenrock added of the starter's outing. "He has a different arsenal this year, so it was good to see Alex go out there and hang five shutout innings."

After what began as another pitching stalemate, the Tigers broke through offensively with a run in the fourth. After junior Alec Trela led off the frame with a double, Goodman collected his first RBI with a double of his own.

Memphis added two runs in the sixth courtesy of a Colton Neel 2-RBI double. With the bases loaded in the seventh inning, Goodman then delivered his third double of the night on a bases-clearing blast to stretch the Tiger lead to 6-0.

"They were feeding me fastballs, so I was just sitting fastball and had to be on time," Goodman said of his approach. "I made good swings. Give credit to the guys for getting on base."

On the mound, Hicks earned his eighth career victory after five innings pitched and eight strikeouts, just one shy of his career-best mark. Hicks surrendered just three hits and didn't allow a run to score. Denz tallied his second career save behind four innings pitched and five strikeouts.