Memphis runs into UCF home run barrage, falls 17-1

Thursday, May 27

Clearwater, Fla.

2 P.M.

University of Memphis

18-38

UCF

30-28

Memphis

UCF

May 27, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Memphis Tigers had the script flipped on them Thursday afternoon, as they were run-ruled 17-1 by the UCF Knights just two days after the Tigers had run-ruled the No. 1 seeded East Carolina Pirates. UCF hit seven home runs in the rout that sets up a Memphis/East Carolina rematch Friday, with the winner continuing action in Clearwater and the loser ending its chances at making the conference finals.

UCF's offense proved too much for the Tigers in the early going and continued to do such throughout the seven-inning matchup. The Knights scored at least two runs in five of their six trips to the plate, with two runs in the first, second, and fourth frames, along with six runs in the fifth and five runs in the sixth.

In the opening frame, Chris Durham (L, 3-7) gave up a one-out single to Jordan Rathbone, while Josh Crouch followed with a two-run home run, his first of two blasts on the day. An inning later, Alex Freeland and Nick Romano hit back-to-back home runs, as the Knights led 4-0 after two innings.

Memphis (18-38) couldn't get anything going against Jack Sinclair (W, 5-5), as the UCF starter allowed just one run on five hits over six innings. Zach Wilson led off the third frame with a triple and scored a batter later on an RBI groundout by Ian Bibiloni, but that was Memphis' lone run in the loss. The Tigers trailed 4-1 after 2.5 innings.

Durham returned to the mound for the fourth inning but didn't record an out, as the southpaw hit Pablo Ruiz and then walked Freeland. Bailey Wimberley relieved Durham, and while he struck out the first man that he faced, Andrew Brait followed with an RBI single. A passed ball plated another run, as the Knights led 6-1.

Things got out of hand in the fifth inning, as Crouch and Tom Josten hit back-to-back home runs off of Wimberley to start the inning. Ben McCabe followed with a single, while Wimberley retired the next two UCF hitters. The Memphis reliever couldn't finish the frame, as Romano ended the righty's outing with an RBI double. Dalton Kendrick entered as Memphis' third pitcher of the game and allowed each of the first four men that he faced to reach base, as an RBI single from Brait scored Romano, while Gephry Pena followed with a two-run home run, which capped off the five-run inning. UCF (30-28) took a 12-1 lead into the sixth inning. The Knights put the finishing touches on the rout in the sixth, as Reed Harding gave up an RBI single to Romano, while Rathbone hit a two-out grand slam, as UCF improved to 2-0 in the conference tournament with a 17-1 win.

Memphis will now get set for a rematch with the top-seeded Pirates after East Carolina stayed alive with a win over Cincinnati on Wednesday. First pitch of the matchup between the two 1-1 teams is set for 12 p.m. Friday in Clearwater, with the winner set to play UCF Saturday morning. Friday's game will be available on ESPN+.