Stinnett and Goodman highlight Memphis’ doubleheader split

Friday, May 7

Memphis, Tenn.

1 p.m.

University of Memphis

14-29, 4-17

USF

17-22, 7-10

USF Bulls

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Stinnett and Goodman highlight Memphis’ doubleheader split

May 07, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Behind a dominant starting pitching performance from Carson Stinnett (W, 3-4) and two early RBI hits, including a solo home run, from Hunter Goodman, the Memphis Tigers picked up a 3-1 victory in game one of Friday's doubleheader vs. the USF Bulls. In the back half of the twin bill, USF struck early and often in route to a 9-2 victory that split the doubleheader.

In what has become somewhat of a trend for the Tigers, they picked up a win in the opening half of the series-opening doubleheader, as three of their four conference wins this season have come in the opening game of the series, all of which have begun with a twin bill. Stinnett faltered in the opening frame, as three straight Bulls reached with one out, while Joaquin Monque gave USF (18-22, 8-10) the early 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly. Stinnett stranded two runners in the frame and then saw just two more runners reach scoring position over the next five innings. Stinnett allowed just one run on two hits as he struck out six over six frames in the win.

Memphis (14-30, 4-18) quickly erased the first inning deficit, as Braden Webb reached on an error by Nick Gonzalez to begin the inning, while Zach Wilson followed with a walk. Goodman tied the game with an RBI single off of Dylan Burns (L, 3-4), and Ian Bibiloni put the Tigers ahead with a bunt single that plated Wilson. Burns stranded two men in scoring position in the inning and gave up a solo home run to Goodman to lead off the third, but then retired the final 15 batters that he faced. Goodman's AAC-best 15^th home run of the year gave Memphis a 3-1 lead, the eventual final.

After six frames from Stinnett, Bailey Wimberley retired six of the seven batters that he faced across the seventh and eighth frames, while Takoda Metoxen (SV, 4) worked around a leadoff single in the ninth and retired the next three batters to close out Memphis' 3-1 win.

In the back half of the doubleheader, Chris Durham (L, 3-6) struggled early in his start for the third straight outing. After he survived two early home runs in his last appearance and worked seven frames vs. UCF, the southpaw didn't record an out in the third inning Friday vs. the Bulls. Durham gave up an RBI single to Monque in the opening frame, a two-run double to Carmine Lane in the second inning, an RBI single to Jake Sullivan in the third inning, and then departed for Dalton Kendrick, who allowed one inherited runner to score. Durham was charged with five runs on six hits over two+ innings.

The Tigers scored their lone runs off of Jack Jasiak (W, 3-7) in the first inning, as Wilson reached on an error to begin the frame and Bibiloni followed with his first home run of the year. While the Tigers led 2-1 after one frame, the consecutive two-run innings for USF had the Bulls in front 5-2 after 2.5 innings.

USF added a run in the fourth on a leadoff home run from Lane, who finished a triple shy of the cycle. The Bulls tacked on two insurance runs against Landon Kelly and Drew Edwards in the eighth inning and another off of Chase Kessinger in the ninth, as they ran away with the 9-2 victory and earned a doubleheader split.

Potential inclement weather for Sunday has rearranged the remainder of the series. Instead of single games Saturday and Sunday, the teams will now play a doubleheader Saturday at 2 p.m. at FedExPark. The first game of the doubleheader will be available on ESPN+. The Tigers will continue their homestand next weekend with a four-game series vs. the Houston Cougars, who sit seventh in the AAC.