Tigers complete sweep in record-setting day

Sunday, March 1

Memphis, Tenn.

1 p.m.

University of Memphis

8-3

Western Illinois

0-9

Western Illinois

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Mar 01, 2020 | Baseball

Box Score

Goodman drives in 11 runs in Tigers' seventh consecutive win

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A record-setting day at FedExPark on Sunday yielded a 23-8 Memphis win against Western Illinois as the Tigers swept the Leathernecks and produced their seventh straight win.

Sophomore Hunter Goodman finished the memorable weekend with a 4-for-6 day at the plate and drove in a Memphis and American Athletic Conference single-game record of 11 RBI.

In the seventh inning on Sunday, the All-American added a grand slam, his third in as many days. Over the weekend, the Arlington, Tenn., native was 9-for-16 (.563) with two doubles, four home runs, seven runs scored and 22 RBI.

"You have to give credit to those guys getting on base," Goodman said of the weekend. "You can't get RBIs without teammates on base. It allows me to put good swings on balls to get them in. There's times I may think (opponents) will pitch around me, but I've always got to be ready to attack when they come in the zone."

Freshman Taylor Howell hit for the cycle on Sunday, including his first collegiate home run. Also earning his first career start at catcher, Howell's cycle was the first time a Memphis player did so in the Daron Schoenrock era.

Freshman Austin Baskin also had a career day for the Tigers with a 4-for-6 effort and recorded his first two collegiate home runs. He also drove in a career-high three RBI.

In assisting Goodman's RBI total, junior Ben Brooks drew four walks and plated four runs. The four base-on-balls tie the most for a single game in program history.

All nine starters tallied at least on hit, while six Tigers turned in multiple-hit days. Four of those six each collected four hits.

Memphis found production from the bottom of the lineup. The Tigers' freshmen trio of Baskin, Howell and Max Hildreth combined to go 12-for-16 with three homers, six RBI and 13 runs scored hitting 6-8 in the order.

Hildreth plated five of those runs, which rank tied for third in Memphis single-game records after classmate Jaylen Wilbon accomplished the same feat on Friday.

"At one point today, we had seven freshmen playing. It's pretty good for those kids to get a feel of a game like this," head coach Daron Schoenrock said. "Those young guys at the bottom of the order gave us some great at-bats."

On Sunday, Memphis plated a run in seven of its eight offensive innings, including crooked numbers in the second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth.

In the three-game set, the Tigers scored 55 runs, which rank as the second-most in a weekend series in program history (59 at Dayton; 1994).

Overshadowed by the offensive outburst, freshman Blake Wimberley delivered another strong start on the mound to close the weekend. The Eads, Tenn., product collected his second win of the season, throwing five innings and striking out eight. Wimberley also retired the last 10 batters he faced.

"Credit Blake," Schoenrock said of the rookie. "With the wind blowing out, the park usually plays big this time of year. A lot of times, pitchers might dodge the zone. Today, Blake attacked."

The Tigers return to action on Tuesday with a midweek visit to Ole Miss. First pitch against the Rebels is set for 6:30 p.m.