Tigers get first AAC win in doubleheader split against the Houston Cougars

Friday, April 30

Memphis, Tenn.

3 PM

University of Memphis

7-35, 0

Houston

14-28, 0

Houston

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Tigers get first AAC win in doubleheader split against the Houston Cougars

Apr 30, 2021 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Tigers start their final home series with a split against the Houston Cougars 7-6 and 12-3. This is Memphis' first American Athletic Conference win of the season. Before the game, Coach Poole and her staff honored Ashten Graves. Graves was a senior last season that did not get to have a senior day of her own, due to COVID-19 cutting the 2020 season short.

GAME 1
Senior Mariah Nichols got the start for the Tigers in the circle. Nichols has started three straight games for the Tigers, coming off her best two performances of the season. Nichols went four and two thirds innings, giving up seven runs on nine hits. Chyanne Ellett finished out the game for the Tigers.

Rachel Hertenberger got the start in the circle for the Cougars. She only lasted a third of an inning before being replaced by Megan Lee in the circle. Lee went six and a third inning, giving up three runs on four hits. Logan Hulon finished the game in the circle for Houston and got the save.

Houston got the scoring going in the first inning, as Bethany Busch singled up the middle scoring Rock Benavides and Sarah Queen.

The Tigers took the lead back from the Cougars in the bottom of the inning. After Gracie Morton started the inning off with a double to right and Alyssa Dean walked, Kendall Lee hit a double to left center, tying it up at two apiece. Lee then scored on a wild pitch, giving the Tigers the 3-2 lead.

After three scoreless innings, The Cougars retook the lead in the top of the fifth. Paige Hulsey and Lindsay Stewart-Vaughn scored on a throwing error by Nichols. Then Benavides scored on a single by Britaney Shaw. The Cougars scored two more runs, extending their lead to 7-3.

The Tigers were able to two runs back as Dean scored on a pass ball then Brady Rowland hit a solo home run to left, cutting the lead to 7-5.

The Tigers were able to get one more run in the bottom of the seventh, as Dean scored on an error by Hulsey.

GAME 2
Olivia Johnson made her seventh start and 18th appearance in the circle for the Tigers. Johnson went one and two thirds innings, giving up three runs on four hits. Hallie Siems took over for Johnson in the circle. Siems went

Hulon got the start in game two for the Cougars. Hulon only lasted a third of an inning, allowing five runs on three hits. Hertenberger came in relief for Houston. She only went a full inning giving up one run. Hulon then reentered the circle for the Cougars.

The Tigers bats started hot. Morton and Delaney Smith started the inning off with back to back singles. After a fielder's choice, Lee loaded the bases. Rowland then hit a two run shot to the right field wall, giving the Tigers the 2-0 lead. Dean and Lee would score on a throwing error by Hulon and Baylee Smith scored on a single RBI by Aliana Zavala. The Tigers scored five runs on four hits.

Houston got three runs back in the top of the second. Hulsey hit a triple down the left field line, scoring Tierrah Williams and Kati Ray Brown. Then Hulsey scored on an RBI by Stewart-Vaughn.

The Tigers added two more runs in the bottom of the second, with one coming from an RBI sac fly by Baylee Smith. They added five more in the bottom of the third, including a two run RBI single by Lee and a RBI single by Rowland to extend the Tigers lead to 12-3.

The Tigers fall to 8-35(1-17) and the Cougars improve 14-29(5-13).

Up Next
The Tigers will finish their four game series with Houston Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 3p.m. The first game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.