Tigers Win Opening-Weekend Series, Drop Finale in Extras

Sunday, February 19

Memphis, Tenn.

1 P.M.

University of Memphis

2-1

Samford

1-2

Samford

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers Win Opening-Weekend Series, Drop Finale in Extras

Feb 19, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team dropped the finale of its 2023 opening-weekend series to Samford in 11 innings Sunday afternoon at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field, 9-8, after taking the first two games of the weekend.

The Tigers (2-1) got 5.2 quality innings out of freshman Seth Garner (3 H, 1 R, 5 K) on the mound in his collegiate debut, but Samford (1-2) used a five-run seventh inning to get back into the game and eventually force extra innings and scrap out the win.

"We had a chance to win a series against another club that battles really hard," head coach Kerrick Jackson said. "We put ourselves in a situation where we had a chance to sweep. This is a process for us. We'll coach our kids up to be better in those situations and have them better equipped mentally and physically, to make sure that next time that opportunity presents itself we get the job done."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Memphis got out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an RBI-single by Logan Kohler and a three-run shot off the bat of utility player Austin Baskin, who drew the start in right field.
• Shortstop Tyler Heckert launched a two-run shot to left field in the fourth inning to grow the Tiger lead to 6-0.
• A one-out double in the fifth inning by Samford's Blake Bortak got the Bulldogs on the board, the only run allowed on the afternoon by Garner.
• Samford put up five runs in the seventh inning to get back in the game with the scoring coming on a pair of RBI singles, a pair of sac-fly's and a hit batsman with the bases loaded.
• Senior first baseman Anthony Hansen untied things in a hurry with his second homerun of the weekend in the bottom of the seventh inning, a solo shot to deep center field.
• Utility player Jake Curtis (2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 K) came on in relief from second base to the pitcher's mound for the second time on the weekend and pitched effectively again. The Bulldogs would however tag him with a solo homerun with one out in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 7-all.
• A clutch, leadoff double by Brayland Skinner gave the Tigers hopes of a walk-off sweep on opening weekend. A sac-bunt by Curtis moved Skinner to third, and Samford elected to intentionally walk both Hansen and Kohler to load the bases with one away. A strikeout and fly out by the next two Tiger hitters sent the game to extra innings.
• The game remained tied until the top of the 11^th inning when Samford plated a pair of runs on a two-run single by Kace Garner.
• The Tigers made two quick outs in the bottom half of the inning. Down to their last out, a double down the left-field line by Cameron Benson and a pinch-hit RBI single by Cade Hennemann got the Tigers within one, but it was too little too late.

NOTABLES
• Garner was solid in his collegiate debut, going 5.2 innings with five strikeouts and just one earned run on three hits.
• Baskin ended the day 2-for-4 with a homerun, double, three RBI and two runs scored.
• Heckert finished 2-for-6 with a homerun, triple, two RBI and two runs scored.
• Hudson Ross made his season debut, pitching a hitless inning of relief with a strikeout.
• Skinner went 1-for-5 with a double and ended the weekend with four doubles, a homerun, five RBI and four runs scored.
• Kohler ended 2-for-5 on the day with a double, an RBI and one run scored.
• The Tigers hit three home runs for the second day in a row (Baskin, Heckert, Hansen) and had nine extra-base hits in the game (5 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR).

UP NEXT
• The Tigers are back at FedExPark on Wednesday night to take on Mississippi Valley State (2-0) at 6 p.m.

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tiger Baseball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.