Knights and Tigers combine for seven home runs as Memphis falls 17-5

Sunday, May 2

Orlando, Fla.

11 A.M.

University of Memphis

13-28, 0

UCF

22-22, 0

Memphis

UCF

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Knights and Tigers combine for seven home runs as Memphis falls 17-5

May 02, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Memphis Tigers scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to trim the deficit to nine runs and avoid the run-rule, but just half a frame later, UCF got a "walk-off" three-run home run from Josh Montes, his second home run of the day, as the Tigers fell 17-5 in seven innings. The Knights also got home runs from Jordan Rathbone, his third of the series, and Pablo Ruiz, a grand slam. Memphis' offense was also primary driven by the long ball, as Hunter Goodman homered in the fourth, his 14^th of the season, while Zach Wilson and Ben Brooks each homered in the seventh inning to extend the game.

In need of a win to earn a series split, Memphis (13-29, 3-17) was once again behind big from the get-go. UCF scored twice in the first and did the same in the second, both against Blake Wimberley (L, 2-7). The Memphis starter returned to the mound for the third inning but couldn't get through the frame, as UCF scored six runs in the inning, four charged to Wimberley and two charged to Walker Brockhouse. Rathbone's two-run home run off of Wimberley in the second inning made it 4-0, while Montes' first of two home runs on the day made it 6-0 in the third and proved to be the eventual game-winning hit. UCF (22-22, 12-8) led 10-0 after three frames.

The Tigers tried to fight back into the game in the fourth against Jack Sinclair (W, 3-4), as Goodman led off the inning with his AAC-best 14^th home run of the season, while Taylor Howell picked up an RBI double three batters later. A base hit from Evan Bell and a HBP of Alec Trela loaded the bases with only one out, but the Tigers didn't get anything else out of the frame, as the Knights led 10-2. Sinclair allowed two runs on five hits over five frames in the win.

UCF blew the game open and put the run-rule into consideration with four runs in the fifth against Brockhouse and Landon Kelly. A double and two walks loaded the bases with only one out, which ended Brockhouse's afternoon. Kelly entered and was immediately greeted by Ruiz's grand slam, which gave the Knights a 14-2 lead.

Heading into the seventh, the Tigers still trailed 14-2 and needed three runs to extend the game to the home half of the inning. UCF went to its third pitcher of the game, as Nolan Lepkoske took the mound in an effort to end the game. The UCF reliever couldn't make it out of the inning, as Wilson led off the frame with a solo home run, Lepkoske walked Goodman, and Brooks made it a nine-run deficit with a two-run blast. The Tigers put two more on base in the frame and forced UCF back to the bullpen, but Zack Bennett limited any further damage and kept UCF's lead at 14-5.

Chase Kessinger entered the game to pitch for the Tigers in the seventh and didn't record an out. Ben McCabe drew a leadoff walk, which put the "winning" run on first base. A balk put McCabe in scoring position, while Ruiz then drew the second walk of the inning. Montes followed with a three run "walk-off" home run, his second home run of the game, as UCF picked up the 17-5 win in seven innings. It was the second time the run-rule came into effect in the series, as the Tigers took down UCF 12-2 in seven innings in the opening game of the series, the only game Memphis won in Orlando.

With just 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Tigers will return to Memphis for an eight-game homestand, with four games next weekend vs. USF and four games the following weekend vs. Houston. Memphis will close out the regular season with a four-game series at Wichita State before the team heads to Clearwater, Fla. for the AAC Championship. The series vs. USF gets underway with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Friday at FedExPark.