Tigers capture ranked win in record-setting day

Saturday, May 18

Greenville, N.C.

12 p.m.

University of Memphis

27-26, 10-13

ECU

42-13, 20-4

Memphis

ECU

Photo by: Michael Stires

May 18, 2019 | Baseball

Box Score

Memphis closes regular season with win at No. 6 ECU

GREENVILLE, N.C. – In the regular-season finale, Memphis baseball staved off No. 6 ECU 10-9 on Saturday afternoon at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

For the second-consecutive season, the Tigers rewrote the program's single-season strikeout record. Memphis tallied seven strikeouts on the day to bring the season total to 488, which tops the 2018 squad's 484 record-breaking season. Additionally, Memphis pitching staffs have posted four of the Top 5 single-season strikeout marks since 2013.

Saturday's 10-9 victory also captured the Tigers' highest-ranked win since defeating No. 4 Rice in the 2012 Conference USA Tournament.

On the mound, Hunter Smith notched his fifth win of the season after throwing five innings and registering four strikeouts. Out of the bullpen, Takoda Metoxen and Colton Neel combined to throw the final 3.1 innings and struck out three. Neel earned his 10^th save of the season in 1.2 innings of work. The senior's 10 saves move him into sole possession of fourth place in single-season saves by a Tiger.

A pair of three-run home runs from Alec Trela and Hunter Goodman helped pace the Tigers offensively. Along with the duo's three-RBI efforts, Cale Hennemann added a multi-RBI day with two runs driven in on a 2-for-4 effort at the plate.

The Tigers surged for three runs in the top of the first inning. After Brooks drew a lead off walk, Neel and Kyle Ouellette singled to load the bases. Hennemann collected his two RBI with a single up the middle for the early Tiger lead. With runners on the corners, a double steal later in the frame plated Ouellette for the 3-0 edge.

After ECU scored four across the second and third innings, the Tigers then knotted the game at 4-4 in the fourth on doubles from Hennemann and Payton Marshall.

Memphis pulled ahead in the fifth inning on Trela's two-out, three-run homer. He drove in Ouellette and Hennemann, who both reached via walks.

An ECU run in the fifth closed the gap to 7-5, but Goodman's three-run blast in the top of the sixth inning built a 10-5 cushion. His three RBI on the day gives him 66 on the season, moving him in a tie for second in the single-season record book.

ECU rallied to plate four unanswered runs across the final five frames, but the Tigers closed the door in the ninth with two aboard to seal the win.

Memphis will return to action on Tuesday in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Championships. Seeding, opponent and time are to be announced.