Tigers use the long ball in 3-1 victory over Lipscomb

Tuesday, February 23

Hoover, Ala.

1 P.M.

University of Memphis

1-0

Lipscomb

2-1

Memphis

Lipscomb

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Tigers use the long ball in 3-1 victory over Lipscomb

Feb 23, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score

HOOVER, Ala. – Behind a pair of home runs and strong pitching, the Memphis Tigers opened up their 2021 season with a 3-1 victory over Lipscomb. Junior Ben Brooks started the scoring with a solo home run in the fourth frame while senior Alec Trela followed with a two-run blast three batters later. The Tigers (1-0) got a strong start from Landon Kelly (ND) with four-shutout innings, while three Memphis relievers allowed just two hits and an unearned run over the final five frames.

Neither team mustered much offense over the first third of the game, as both teams shook off rust from little competitive action in nearly a year, with Lipscomb playing just two games a day ago and the Tigers without action since Mar. 11, 2020. Lipscomb's first two pitchers each went a scoreless inning before the Tigers got to Dylan Bierman (L, 0-1) in the fourth inning, his second inning of work. Brooks led off the inning with a home run, his first of the year. After Taylor Howell was hit by a pitch, Bierman retired Zach Wilson, but Trela followed with his first home run of the season, as his two-run blast proved to be the difference in the game.

The Bisons (2-1) were controlled all game by Memphis pitching. Kelly allowed just three hits over four innings, while Carson Stinnett (W, 1-0), Bailey Wimberley, and Takoda Metoxen (SV, 1) allowed just two singles the rest of the way.

Lipscomb's only run came in the fifth inning, as a pair of singles plus an error by Trela led to an unearned run. Wimberley retired the Bisons in order in the eighth, while Metoxen worked around a one-out walk in the ninth to secure the Memphis victory.

Memphis will return home and begin a four-game series at FedExPark against Grambling State on Friday. First pitch of the series opener is set for 4 p.m. Friday afternoon. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.