University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
4-0, 0
Grambling State
0-3, 0
Memphis sweeps Grambling State with monster day at the plate
Feb 28, 2021 | Baseball
Much like the first two games of the series, the visitors jumped out to an early lead, but once again, the lead was gone seemingly as quickly as it came. Cameron Bufford hit a one-out solo home run off of Landon Kelly (W, 1-0) in the second inning, while Grambling State (0-3) added two more runs in the third frame. Kelly settled in and allowed three runs, all earned, on four hits over five innings. In the victory, the Memphis starter struck out eight.
The Memphis offense quickly turned the tables on the visiting Tigers. Memphis struck for five runs in the second inning, as Jaylen Wilbon hit a bases clearing triple that put Memphis (4-0) ahead 3-1, a lead the home team didn't relinquish. Memphis added two more in the inning and led 5-1 after two frames and 5-3 after three.
JC Bonilla (L, 0-1) established himself after the five-run inning and faced just one batter over the minimum over his final two innings. Bonilla allowed five runs, four earned, in four innings. Four Grambling State relievers followed, each for an inning, and each was tagged for at least one run.
Memphis broke the game open with a crooked number in the sixth inning and another in the seventh. Hunter Goodman and Chris Swanberg each had an RBI as part of a three-run sixth, while Alec Trela doubled home two runs in the seventh, as Memphis led 10-3 after seven innings.
The floodgates opened for the Memphis offense in the team's final trip to the plate, as 12 men stepped to the plate in a seven-run eighth inning against Michael Mims. Pinch hitting to lead off the inning, Brennan Dubose started the frame with a double and later singled in the inning. Goodman cleared the left field wall for a two-run home run, his second home run of the season. The Preseason All-American finished the four-game week 7 for 15 with a double, two home runs, and four RBIs. Memphis recorded eight hits in the seven-run eighth, while Walker Brockhouse struck out the side in the ninth and wrapped up Memphis' 17-3 victory.
Off of the three-game sweep, Memphis will hit the road for the next six games, all against Power Five conference opponents. The Tigers' next game is set for Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Ole Miss. Memphis will follow with four games over three days at Baylor March 5-7 and wrap up the road trip next Tuesday at Vanderbilt.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kelly, Landon (1-0)
L: Bonilla, JC (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Nervis Jr, Gerald 1
3B: Phelts, Cameron 1
HR: Bufford, Cameron 1
RBI: Phelts, Cameron 1 ; Percival, Jahmoi 1 ; Bufford, Cameron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Phelts, Cameron 1 ; Bufford, Cameron 1 ; Avila, Ben 1
Batting:
2B: Wilbon, Jaylen 1 ; Howell, Taylor 1 ; Trela, Alec 1 ; DuBose, Brennan 1 ; Baskin, Austin 1 ; Webb, Braden 1
3B: Wilbon, Jaylen 1
HR: Goodman, Hunter 1
RBI: Wilbon, Jaylen 5 ; Goodman, Hunter 3 ; Howell, Taylor 1 ; Trela, Alec 2 ; Bibiloni, Ian 1 ; Swanberg, Chris 1 ; Baskin, Austin 1 ; Webb, Braden 1
SF: Bibiloni, Ian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wilbon, Jaylen 2 ; Wilson, Zach 3 ; Goodman, Hunter 2 ; Howell, Taylor 1 ; Bell, Evan 2 ; Freeman, Dalton 1 ; Bibiloni, Ian 1 ; Swanberg, Chris 1 ; DuBose, Brennan 1 ; Baskin, Austin 1 ; Webb, Braden 2
SB: Wilson, Zach 1 ; Bibiloni, Ian 1
CS: Swanberg, Chris 1
HBP: Wilson, Zach 1 ; Goodman, Hunter 2 ; Bibiloni, Ian 1 ; Swanberg, Chris 2
