Tigers come from behind to close home campaign with 8-4 win

Sunday, May 16

Memphis, Tenn.

11 A.M.

University of Memphis

16-34, 6-22

Houston

19-28, 7-17

Houston

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Tigers come from behind to close home campaign with 8-4 win

May 16, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Trailing 4-0 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, the Memphis Tigers sent 13 men to the plate and scored eight runs in the eighth inning for a come from behind victory over the Houston Cougars. The win earned Memphis (16-34, 6-22) a series split, the Tigers' first series split or better in conference play this season.

While the Memphis offense managed very little over the first six innings against Matt Lazzaro (ND), the Cougars jumped out to an early lead against James Muse (ND), who made his first start of the season. Steven Rivas led off the second inning with a single and scored on a two-out RBI base hit by Skyler Trevino. Brad Burckel led off the following frame with a solo home run, while Ryan Hernandez did the same two batters later. Houston (19-28, 7-17) led 3-0 after 2.5 frames. Muse allowed three runs on seven hits over 3.2 innings in the no-decision.

After the Cougars added an insurance run off of Logan Walters in the top of the eighth inning, Layne Looney entered out of the Houston bullpen. Looney walked the first three batters that he faced and was quickly replaced by Colby Casey (L, 0-1), who allowed both men that he faced to reach base. Evan Bell got the Tigers on the board with an RBI single, while Chris Swanberg drew a bases loaded walk. Leading 4-2, Houston went back to the bullpen for its third pitcher of the inning, as Ryne Huggins entered to face Austin Baskin. The Memphis DH brought the Tigers within a run with an RBI single, while Ben Brooks drew a bases loaded walk, which tied the game. Max Hildreth put the Tigers ahead one batter later with an RBI single, while Zach Wilson followed with an RBI groundout that put Memphis ahead 6-4. Hunter Goodman added an RBI on sacrifice fly, while Ian Bibiloni greeted Cameron Prayer, Houston's fourth pitcher of the inning, with an RBI single that capped off the scoring. The eight-run frame put Memphis ahead 8-4.

Chase Kessinger (W, 1-0) retired the only batter that he faced in the eighth inning and gave way to Takoda Metoxen with the lead to begin the ninth. Metoxen gave up a one out double to Tyler Bielamowicz but retired the next two Houston hitters and secured Memphis' 8-4 victory.

With the home schedule in the rearview mirror, the Tigers will wrap up the regular season with a four-game series on the road against Wichita State. The series gets underway with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Thursday with single games scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Both games of Thursday's doubleheader will be available on ESPN+. After the conclusion of the series in Wichita, Kan., the Tigers will head to Clearwater, Fla. for the AAC Championship, which gets underway May 25.